The Truth Revealed
by DirectorCarmichael
Summary: Sequel to 'It Was A Lie'. Married and with two kids, Peeta and Katniss Mellark must face the start of the Rebellion while in District 13. Will their deal with Coin hold up? Who will live? Who will die? Will they get their happily ever after? Heavy, HEAVY Everlark. It is suggested you read 'It Was A Lie' before reading this. This is a complete re-telling of Mockingjay. NOW COMPLETE!
1. Welcome to District 13

**A/N: So here it is! The first chapter of the sequel to "It Was A Lie". The prequel received so much attention, that I just had to keep it going. Besides, what kind of story ends right at the beginning of the Rebellion? I couldn't do that to y'all. So, I sat down this morning, and wrote the first chapter. I hope you enjoy it. **

_**Fair Warning: This chapter contains a graphic Everlark sex scene. You've been notified. **_

**Enjoy! Let me know how you like it! The more reviews I get, the faster I'm inclined to write the next chapter!**

The hovercraft is fairly large. There's a smattering of other people on it already, and I recognize them as the families of some of our fellow Rebel Victors. We greet them politely as we make our way through to our seats.

There are monitors set up showing the Games, but as it is the middle of the night, not much is going on. Grayson and Annabel are still standing guard at the front of the cave, with the two Career girls next to them.

The rear ramp is raised and the hovercraft begins its ascent. I look out a porthole and take one last look at the Capitol. I hope the next time I see it, it will be on very different terms.

Because we need to keep our stealth, we apparently have to travel fairly slowly. It will take most of the day to get to 13, I'm guessing. I'm okay with that, as long as we do get there eventually.

I sit next to Peeta, and we each take a twin in our lap. I'm slowly smoothing down Eve's beautiful dark locks while Peeta is making funny faces at Josh. Most of the other passengers are watching us with small smiles, but we've learned to mostly block that out.

A few hours later the sun begins to rise. As I stare out a small window showing Eve, I realize something.

We're traveling north. We should be traveling east.

I nudge Peeta and nod towards the sun. After a moment of smiling at its beauty, he turns and sees my scowl. He turns back to the sun, and after a moment it dawns on him. His eyes narrow in anger.

"Let's give the twins to Prim and mom," Peeta whispers. I nod.

Quietly, we get up out of our seats and hand Josh and Eve to my mom and Prim. They don't question us, seeing the looks on our faces. Once our arms are free, Peeta reaches out and takes my hand.

"What should we do?" He asks softly.

"We're going to the cockpit and finding out what the hell is going on," I inform him.

He nods in agreement. We haven't changed or anything, so we're still wearing our uniforms, tac vests, and thigh holsters.

We make sure nobody is watching as we quickly but stealthily make out way to the front of the hovercraft. We pause outside the door to the cockpit.

"I trust you," Peeta whispers, cradling my cheek with his left hand. It reminds me of when we confronted his mom. Just like then, I take his hand and kiss his wedding ring. He does the same with mine.

We lean in for one chaste kiss on the lips, then I swing the door open forcefully.

There's only a pilot and a co-pilot inside. The pilot is a man, probably in his late thirties, and the co-pilot is a woman who looks to be in her late twenties.

Both of their head whip around at the sound of the door opening.

"Where are we going?" I demand.

"Please return to your seat, ma'am," the pilot orders.

"Shut up. I asked you where we're going," I snap back.

"Our flight plan is confidential," he replies smugly.

I roll my eyes.

Before anyone can react, I've quick drawn my pistol and have the barrel flush against his temple.

"I'll ask you once more. Where – are – we – going?"

"The Arena," he whimpers.

My eyes widen and I'm sure Peeta's do as well.

"What? We're supposed to go straight to 13," I say to nobody in particular.

"My orders are to aid in the evacuation," the pilot relays.

"Well you have new orders," I inform him. "Take us directly to District 13."

"I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"I'm under orders from the military of 13. I am to report to the armada at the Arena."

"I don't give a shit," I spit. For good measure, I rack the slide and chamber a round. The sound alone is enough to make him quake in his boots. "We're going to 13. We have a deal in place with President Coin."

"I'm not aware of any deal," the pilot tells me smugly. "We will be going to the Arena. I'm not getting thrown in the stockade because some whiny little girl doesn't want to fight."

I'm fed up with him, so I reach back and pistol-whip him across the cheek.

I turn to the co-pilot, who looks absolutely petrified.

"Can you fly this thing by yourself?" I ask her pointedly.

She nods shakily.

"Good."

I turn back to the pilot and make a show of taking the safety off.

"Last chance," I warn.

"I'd listen to my wife," Peeta speaks up for the first time. "Trust me, buddy, you do not want to see that side of her."

I scowl at him but only for a moment.

"Why?" He asks indignantly.

I sigh.

"My two infant children are on board this hovercraft. If you think for even a moment that I'm letting them get anywhere near that damned Arena, you're insane. Not to mention my husband, sister, mother, and the families of many other Victors. Now turn this hovercraft east in the next five seconds or your partner here is getting a battlefield promotion."

"I don't have to take orders from you," he says defiantly.

"The hell you don't. Look at my uniform, jackass. I'm a Colonel. You're a Flight Lieutenant. Who ranks higher?"

He sees my rank, which honestly he should've noticed earlier, and eventually reaches over and punches in some commands to the GPS guidance system. I feel the hovercraft turn east, and my body relaxes a bit.

"That's better," I tell him as I holster my pistol. "Now our next stop will be District 13, correct?"

"I'm reporting you when we land," he says without looking at me.

I chuckle and shake my head, as does Peeta.

"Do whatever you want. We don't care."

I turn to Peeta and he's smiling wide at me. I'm sure my little show with my pistol got his juices flowing, I know mine are.

We exit the cockpit quietly and look around. Everyone is either asleep or distracted. Even Prim and my mom don't notice us as they are engrossed in playing with the twins. Peeta looks to me and winks saucily. I find myself heating up quickly. He leans over and whispers in my ear.

"Let's go find that bathroom."

Now I'm positive I need a change of panties.

He takes me by the hand forcefully, which he knows I love, and starts leading me towards the back of the hovercraft and a door marked 'Head'.

As soon as the door is closed behind us, I'm shoved up against it, Peeta's lips on any of my exposed skin.

"God you're sexy," he mutters.

"Pot calling the kettle black," I mumble back smiling.

Next comes the choreographed ballet of trying to rid ourselves of our many clothes. Once he gets my upper body down to just my bra, he's become so impatient that he just rips my bottoms down to my ankles and quits.

I reach down and unzip him, pulling out his already rock hard erection. I link my arms around his neck and hoist myself up, wrapping my legs around him.

I take one hand and grasp him, helping guide him into me.

"We have to be quiet," he whispers between kisses. "Everyone is literally on the other side of this door."

"Shut up and fuck me," I command.

He smirks and kisses me again, and I feel his length fill me up. I moan in pleasure, feeling whole once again. We haven't made love since the night before last. That's far too long in our marriage. It might be the longest we've gone since I gave birth.

His thrusts are powerful and possessive, and I love it. He saw the crew ogling me as we boarded, knowing how good I look in my uniform. I felt it when he pulled me closer to him. I know he needs reassurance every now and then, and if this is how he gets it, I'm more than happy to oblige him.

"Oh my god Peeta, right there baby," I groan as he dives a hand between my legs to egg me on.

Moments later, I'm coming, the orgasm racking through me as Peeta doesn't stop thrusting for a second. I moan his name into his ear, telling him how much of a man he is, that only he can make me feel this way.

"If you love me, you'll keep fucking me," I whimper as I finally come back under control.

"You don't have to worry about that baby," he smirks and kisses me. God I love this man.

A minute later, he shifts our bodies and plops my behind down on the small counter. It allows him a better angle to push into me, and a whole new sensation takes over.

"Ohhhh," Peeta groans as I reach down to grasp his balls between my fingers, massaging my slowly and lovingly.

"You like when I do that?" I ask. He nods.

"You're so tight," he moans as he slides all the way in again.

"And I'm all yours baby. This," I reach down and place his hand atop my folds, "is yours."

He smiles wide at me and I grab the back of his neck, forcing his lips onto mine.

"What about these?" He asks giddily while fondling my breasts.

"Well right now, they're all yours," I tease. "Sometimes you'll have to share them though."

We both giggle, and he leans down to take each one of my nipples in his mouth separately.

"Don't stop Peeta," I beg as he continues his ministrations. "I'm going to come again."

"Please let it go baby," he coaxes me, "let it all go and let me hold you."

I do, and it's magical. As it causes my body to shudder, he holds me up, continuing to slide in and out of me, prolonging my ecstasy.

Now that I've had multiple releases, I'm determined to get Peeta to his own. Knowing that, I reach down and place two fingers at the base of his erection, gently stroking him as he thrusts inside me.

"Holy shit," he whimpers.

"Thought you'd like that," I whisper.

He nods enthusiastically.

"Don't stop Kat," he pleads. In response I just speed up my actions.

"I want you to come, Peeta," I whisper in his ear. "I want you to come inside me and look me in the eye. I want your entire load in my pussy. Now, Peeta, come inside me."

I drive him over the edge he was teetering on, and his face contorts into joyous and pleasured expressions as he reaches his own orgasm. I goad him into it, massaging his balls and staring him straight in the eye as he explodes inside of me.

When he's finished, he collapses, his arms holding him up from tumbling onto me, as I'm still under him.

He's about to pull out when I stop him.

"No. I need you inside me a little longer," I say in a tiny voice, unlike myself.

"Okay," he grins. I reach up and kiss him hard.

"See? I told you we'd find new and exciting places to have sex," I tease, reminding him of our previous conversation.

"My wife is always right."

"Good boy," I joke, kissing the tip of his nose.

A few minutes later, we've cleaned each other up and re-dressed. I try to smooth down his hair, as it's fairly obvious I've been running my fingers through it in passion. Peeta has to re-braid my hair, as he took it out in the middle of our lovemaking.

I crack the door open and am happy to see nobody looking our way. We quickly dart out and shut the door gently behind us.

We make it to our seats without incident, but when we do, I look up and see one set of eyes staring us down.

Of course, it's Prim. And she's smirking knowingly. She shakes her head in disbelief and goes back to entertaining Josh in her lap. I blush incredibly deeply and Peeta lets me bury my face into his chest.

"It's so embarrassing," I say barely above a whisper.

"I know," he says into the top of my head. "But at least it's Prim, not your mom."

I shudder at the thought of my mother catching us coming back from one of our many trysts. I can't even imagine the talking-to we'd get then. Hopefully Prim keeps her mouth shut.

A half-hour later, we retrieve the twins and they're obviously happy to see mommy and daddy. We spend the rest of the time playing with them, trying to forget about where we are and where we're going. Especially why.

Around seven in the morning, the hovercraft begins its descent. We're almost there. Apparently when we set the course straight, they sped up.

A few minutes later, we feel the craft dock, and the big clamps click into place.

The rear ramp slowly lowers, revealing a platoon of soldiers dressed in grab grey uniforms standing in formation.

In the front of them, exactly in the middle of the formation, stands President Alma Coin. She steps up a couple feet and speaks to us.

"Welcome to District 13."


	2. Rescued?

"_Welcome to District 13."_

"President Coin," I nod politely.

"Mrs. Mellark," she barely acknowledges me. "You and your husband are needed in Command. Now."

With that, she turns and walks away. Peeta and I look at one another and shrug. One of the soldiers walks up to us and tells us he'll lead us to Command.

"What about our luggage?" Peeta asks.

"It will be taken to your quarters," he replies.

We sigh but agree. We strap the twins in to their stroller. There's no way we're letting them out of our sight yet.

"We'll see you guys in a bit," I say to Prim and my mom. We say goodbye to them and follow the soldier off the hovercraft.

District 13, if I had to describe it in one word, is drab. It's grey. A lot of grey. I'm sure it's going to take a while to learn my way around, because everything looks the same.

I try to keep track of the lefts and rights we're taking, but give up after ten minutes. I just hold Peeta's hand tightly as we push the stroller together.

Finally we come upon a large door marked 'Command'. The soldier leaves us at this point, and we enter together.

When we walk in, the room stops. Silence. Every eyeball is on us. Maybe it's because we're the new kids, or maybe it's because we have infants with us. Probably both.

We stride in and find two seats, taking the twins out and putting them in our laps as we sit.

"Welcome everyone," Coin says as she stands in the middle of the room. "The offensive into the Arena is about to begin. Our war has begun."

Behind her, a number of large monitors flicker to life, showing the Arena. I see Grayson and Annabel, feeding the Alliance breakfast. They even spare some food for the Career girls, who they still have tied up.

"Now we're one hovercraft short on the evacuation," Coin informs, glaring at me, "but that shouldn't affect the overall plan. Care to speak to that, Mrs. Mellark?"

I glare right back.

"That wasn't our deal, and you know it. So I informed the pilot of his new destination," I explain simply.

"Fine," she huffs, turning back to the room. There's really nothing she can do about it now.

Suddenly, all the screens go black as explosions appear all over the Arena.

"It's started," Peeta whispers.

After a few seconds, whatever magic Beetee is working kicks in, and all the monitors turn back on, showing various views from Rebel soldiers and hovercrafts.

"Where are the Victors?" I ask impatiently.

Coin doesn't answer me verbally, just points to a specific monitor. I can make out Finnick and Johanna, geared up for battle. I start praying.

It happens fast. The hovercrafts land, the soldiers disembark, and the battle begins. As predicted, the Capitol sends in their own troops, but they weren't prepared for this. Our soldiers easily repel them, forming a large perimeter to begin the large scale evacuation.

I see the Victors all board one hovercraft, and they're soon heading towards the mountain where the Alliance waits in a cave for rescue. I'm so happy that all my friends are rescuing the Tributes.

The pilot backs the hovercraft up right to the cave entrance and lowers the rear ramp, showing a smiling Finnick.

"Need a ride?" He asks sarcastically. A cheer goes up through the cave, and they start loading onto the hovercraft.

I'm incredibly proud when I see that Grayson and Annabel are the last two to board, making sure everyone, even the Careers, got on safely.

When Grayson steps aboard, he goes up and shakes Finnick's hand.

"Thank you Mr. O'Dair. That's everyone."

Finnick is shocked, but only momentarily. Grayson doesn't look like the eleven year old kid that was Reaped recently. He looks like a man.

The rear ramp is closed, and Johanna orders the pilot to head for 13.

The battle is still raging below, and there are casualties on both sides. Luckily, however, no Tribute has died so far except for the two that died in the Bloodbath yesterday. This is working out better than any of us imagined.

"Is the rest of Panem watching this?" I ask the room.

"Yes," Coin answers. "This is playing on every screen, including Snow's."

That makes me smirk. He's having to watch his precious Games get ruined. He has no idea what he's started, but we're sure as hell going to finish it.

As the battle starts dying down, I notice that most of the Capitol's soldiers are now surrendering instead of fighting to the death. That intrigues me. Maybe Snow doesn't have as much of a stranglehold on the country as he thinks, or maybe we just overwhelmed them this time.

It's over as quickly as it began. 13's hovercrafts begin the retreat back home, having rescued all living Tributes. There were less than twenty casualties, and we captured over a hundred Capitol soldiers.

"We're destroying the Arena, right?" Peeta asks.

"No," Coin replies without turning her head.

"What?" I almost yell. "We have to blow it up!"

"Quiet down, Mrs. Mellark. Leave the military matters to me. Worry about how you look on camera," she snaps.

I'm about to retort when Peeta grips my shoulder, willing me to reign in my anger. I take a deep breath and seethe silently. I realize what he's saying without him having to say it. I can't piss off the President our first day here. Well, any more than I already have.

We watch the aftermath for a few more minutes until it's obvious there's nothing really to do until all the hovercrafts get back.

The room is dismissed. Peeta and I strap the twins back in their stroller and exit Command. It takes us a while, but eventually we find the area our quarters are in.

Walking up to our designated quarters, I can't help but smile at the identification right in the middle of the door. It reads:

_Mr. and Mrs. Peeta and Katniss Mellark_

_Colonels_

_Two Children, Twins, Aged under 1 year_

Opening the door, Peeta sweeps me up and carries me over the threshold. I mildly scold him but ultimately allow him this little piece of tradition. We each take a twin on our shoulder and explore our new home.

It's not too large, but sufficient. There's a main living room with a few couches and seats. There's a small kitchenette off to the side with a fridge. That will be good for storing breast milk. I'm sure Peeta had a hand in getting that.

We check out the twins' bedroom first. Their cribs have already been set up, and their luggage is spread out. Next we go into the master bedroom. I'm astonished when I find a queen sized bed. I was sure we'd be forced to share some tiny twin sized bed. Once again, I feel Peeta's fingerprints all over this. I'm grateful, even though I know we'll be curled up together every night, the extra space helps for – other reasons.

There are two bathrooms, which surprises me. There's one attached to the master bedroom, and then one attached to the living room for guests. Both have showers, and the master one even has a bath. I'm sure this must be one of the best living arrangements in the entire District.

"Peeta, how did we get such a nice place?" I ask quietly with a smile.

He blushes slightly and has a small grin on his face.

"Haymitch, Plutarch and I may have made some calls….."

"Well, thank you," I smile, giving him a peck on the lips.

"There's something else I have to talk to you about," Peeta tells me. I nod and we put the twins down for a nap first. Then, we rid ourselves of our vests, thigh holsters, and uniform blouses, leaving us in our fatigue pants and t-shirts. We crawl onto our new bed and cuddle close.

"What is it baby?" I prod.

"Well, everyone in 13 has to have an implant on their arms which every day is loaded with their schedule. They have to adhere to the schedule down to the exact minute." I cringe, already dreading this. Peeta knows how I hate to be told what to do, especially by these people who we barely know. "Well, Haymitch and I knew you'd hate that, so we got Coin to agree that we don't have to wear them. Besides, we'll be working with Plutarch most of the time anyways, and when we're not, we'll either have time to spend as a family or we'll be teaching the occasional class. So, what I guess I'm saying is, we're special. We'll be doing things on our own schedule."

"Oh, Peeta," I breathe. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, honey."

"So this is our life, huh?" I ponder, looking around at the plain grey walls.

"For now," he concedes. "I know it's not what we want, Kat, but it's the only way we can get to live in the kind of world we want our children to grow up in."

"I know," I nod sadly. "We'll get through it, Peeta. Together."

"Together," he confirms, and I lean up to kiss him.

"Did you see the looks we got when we walked in to Command with the twins?" I ask.

He smiles wide.

"That was hilarious. They'd better get used to it, because I want my wife and kids with me all the time."

"Same here," I agree.

"Coin doesn't like us," he tells me somberly. I sigh.

"I know. I don't think she's liked us since before she even met us. I mean, we did start off by demanding a bunch of stuff."

"I don't care if she doesn't like us," Peeta decides firmly. "She has to deal with it, not us. We're doing what we need to do for our family. That's all that matters to me."

"Me too."

"Let's just not try and piss her off anymore, okay baby?" He pleads.

"I'll try," I vow with a grin. "I can't make any promises though."

"I know. That's not the girl I married."

"Oh yea?" I tease. "Who is the girl you married?"

His face takes on an air of seriousness, and I find myself excited to hear his answer.

"She's beautiful. But even that's not adequate. I've tried to explain it, but it's impossible. She's simply the most beautiful thing I have ever, or will ever, lay my eyes on. She's gentle and kind. She's the most wonderful, caring, loving wife and mother. She has a temper, but knows when to let it go. And when she does, it's an amazing thing to see, because she can inspire a nation. She can be the most outspoken person out there, but in our bed, she's as shy as can be. When she kisses me, my life can't get any better. She gave me two perfect children, and promised me someday she'll give me more. I love her more every day, and I can't imagine my life without her."

He pauses for a moment.

"How was that?" He jokes.

"Perfect," I mumble, still in shock.

"Like you," he instantly shoots back.

"I'm not the perfect one," I shake my head. "That's your department, honey."

"Ha. Yeah right," he waves me off with a shake of the head.

"Ugh. How come you can compliment me all day long but we I try, you just ignore me?" I complain.

"Because you deserve the compliments I give you."

"So do you!" I try to make him see.

"Maybe," he tilts his head back and forth. "But I don't want to argue with you right now."

"No? What do you want to do with me right now?" I smirk, knowing where this is heading.

Peeta surprises me with his answer, because he's usually not very vulgar, even when we're in the middle of having sex.

"I want to fuck you. Hard."

Oh my god. I feel my core heating up fast, and I'm sure if he doesn't get me naked in the next minute I'm literally going to die.

"Please," I beg.

The next hour is spent christening our new bed, exploring each other's bodies like we haven't seen each other in weeks, when in reality we had sex on the hovercraft ride here.

Peeta fulfills his promise, and I'm sure I drew blood scratching his back as he thrust deep and hard inside me. He makes me come four times, to his twice. The second time I make sure he explodes in my mouth, knowing how it drives him wild to see that, then I swallow.

We share countless 'I love you's, and get lost in each other. It's perfect. As we snuggle close, still naked with sheens of sweat covering our bodies, I can't help but think about how all this would be without Peeta.

What if I hadn't gotten the courage to tell him the truth? Would he have found another girl? Would I have ended up with – with – Gale? It makes me cringe to think about. After seeing all the girls that tried to get him even _after_ we got married and had kids, I'm sure he wouldn't have lasted long on the open market. But that's not fair to him. He loves me. He would've waited for me – right? But I told him not to. I told him I didn't love him, that I didn't even like him, and that he should move on. It was only two weeks. What if it had been two months? What would have happened?

"Mrs. Mellark, you need to stop thinking so damn loud. I'm trying to sleep down here," Peeta mumbles. I giggle and turn to kiss his chest.

"Sorry," I look up to him with pleading eyes.

He sighs and runs his hand through my hair.

"What are you thinking about baby?"

"Nothing," I try to deflect.

He sighs.

"By saying that I know it's obviously something," he points out wisely. "Spit it out, Kat."

I take a deep breath, and, as usual, just blurt it out.

"If I hadn't told you the truth, would we be together right now?"

He's silent for a few moments as he takes in my question, mulling it over and turning it over in his head.

"I don't know," he says honestly. "I don't think we can ever know for sure what would have happened. Why?"

"I was just thinking how terrible it would be going through this without you."

"Even if we weren't 'together', Kat, I'd still be here to protect you."

"I know. That makes me feel even worse. But, if I hadn't come to your house that night, would you have found someone else?"

"No."

"Really? I mean, I remember you telling me about that night when Delly came over, and how you kind of wanted to kiss her…."

"Yeah, and do you remember why I didn't kiss her?" He asks, slightly frustrated.

"Me," I reply meekly.

"Exactly, Katniss Mellark. I was in love with you. I am in love with you. If you hadn't come over that night, and right now, I still believed you didn't love me, I'd still be hopelessly in love with you."

"But why?" I plead, trying to understand.

"Who knows? I don't know why love works the way it does. I just knew, I just know, that I'll love you no matter what. You could marry Gale, rub it in my face, and treat me like dirt for the rest of my life, and I'd still pine over you day after day."

This isn't helping. It's just making me feel more guilty by the second.

"I wouldn't want you to be lonely like that, Peeta."

"Kat, we've been over this. There's nothing either of us can do about it. We can't think about what might have happened."

"I know," I nod.

"What we can do is think about our future. Our mutual future. Because, that night all those months ago, you did come knock on my door. You did tell me truth. We did get married. We did have children. And now, because of all those things happening, we have our whole lives ahead of us to live together."

I nod, starting to get it.

"So stop wallowing in the past, Kat. We both made mistakes, but we're past them now. All past transgressions have been forgiven and forgotten. So let it go, and live in the now, with me and our kids."

"Okay," I smile. "I'm sorry, Peeta."

"It's nothing to be sorry about. I do it sometimes too. I get where you're coming from. It seems like if one thing hadn't gone our way, our lives would be totally different." I nod. "But they did go our way. And we're happy, aren't we? Even if we're in the middle of a war, as long as I have you in my arms, I'm happy."

"I'm happy too Peeta," I tell him with a sweet kiss. "Truly. With you and our children, I'll always be happy."

He beams at this, and we decide no more words are needed.

We tell each other everything else with our bodies, with kisses and caresses.

A few hours later, I'm woken from my deep slumber by an incessant knocking at the door. I reach around in the dark and grab Peeta's t-shirt. I throw it on over my head and it reaches halfway down my thighs.

I go to the door and crack it open, squinting from the bright lights of the hallway.

"What?" I mutter.

"Sorry to interrupt your session between the sheets with cinnamon buns, brainless!" Jo yells. "But we're here!"

"Jo?" I ask in disbelief.

"Yup. And some other people who want to see you."

I open the door a bit wider and I see Finnick, Annie, Haymitch, Chaff, Beetee, Wiress, Mags, and Effie all smiling at me.

"Um, hi?"


	3. Seeing Old Friends

"You going to let us in or what?" Jo asks impatiently.

I scoff and scowl at her.

"Sure. Come on in guys," I smile, belying my anger. "But please be quiet. The twins are asleep."

As I open the door wide, I run back through the living room and slam the bedroom door shut behind me. Peeta just mutters in his sleep. I can't help but giggle looking at him.

I walk to the bedside and poke him.

"Wake up honey," I try. Nothing.

Next I kiss him full on the mouth. Still nothing, though he does succeed in pulling me down on top of him. Not that I resisted much.

I sigh, knowing that even if I'd rather stay right here, there's a bunch of people waiting to talk to us.

So I resort to the one way I know I can wake him up.

I reach down and grasp his limp length in my hands and lean over to whisper in his ear.

"Wake up Peeta Mellark. This is your wife asking. Wake uppppp."

His eyes snap open and he smirks immediately.

"Ready for another round?" He asks saucily. I kiss him to shut him up.

"As much as I'd love to baby, a bunch of our friends are waiting out in the living room to talk."

He frowns adorably and I'm sure my face matches.

I hop out of bed and rummage around in our luggage. We had sex instead of unpacking. Wise decision, I might add.

I throw him a t-shirt and a pair of shorts. I find my favorite pair of his sweats and pull them on, not even bothering to change my shirt. I'm well aware it has his name on it. It's not like what's underneath it doesn't belong to him anyways, I smile to myself.

I pull my hair back and just put it in a simply ponytail. I cringe thinking about what I must've looked like answering the door. Whatever.

Finally we're both appropriate enough to face them. We hold hands and walk out. There's a smattering of sarcastic applause at our arrival.

"Shut up," I mutter as we take a seat on a couch. Everyone else is seated in various places and on the floor.

We spend a few minutes greeting our friends, making sure they know how happy we are that they're all safe.

"So what was it like?" I ask finally.

"Scary," Annie says quietly. A few nod.

"Eh. The Capitol wasn't as tough as they thought," Jo says triumphantly. I smile at her cockiness. It's easy to see why we're friends.

"We captured a fair number of them sweetheart," Haymitch tells me.

"Good," I reply. "What about everyone's families? Is everyone safe?"

They all relay that their families are safe and are here. I let out a breath.

"Haymitch, what about Grayson and Annabel?" Peeta asks frantically. It was my next question, of course.

"They're fine," he says, and Peeta and I let out sighs of relief. "Their families are here too. We rescued every Tribute that was still alive," he says proudly.

I smile widely. It went better than we ever could have expected. I bet Snow is reeling from this, not knowing how to respond.

"You know, they acted quite like you two in there," Haymitch goes on, referring to Peeta's and my 'love affair' in the Arena. I blush.

"I know," I nod. "We noticed. They're so young, Haymitch."

"Ha. You were sixteen when you got married and pregnant, or did you forget that?" He retorts. Everyone laughs except me and Peeta. I glare at Haymitch, but he's so used to it he just waves me off.

"They're eleven!" I snap.

"I fell in love with you when I was barely five," Peeta reminds me in a whisper.

I take a moment and really think about my life.

"I guess you're right. I mean, I did finally admit I probably loved you when you threw me that bread, right?" I ask him. We've forgotten we're not alone, and everyone can hear our conversation.

"Yep. And you were – gasp – eleven then, honey," Peeta smirks. I roll my eyes and nod.

"Fine," I relent.

"Are we done with this sappy crap?" Jo ruins our moment yet again.

To spite her, I glare at her, then lean over and give Peeta a passionate kiss on the lips. I see Finnick and Annie do the same. Jo just scowls and folds her arms across her chest.

"Now we're done," I smirk at her.

We all chuckle and it feels good. I was so worried some of them would get injured, captured, or killed, and they're all right here, in our new living room.

Just then, both our babies make their presence known.

"They're probably hungry," Peeta says. "Kat?"

We've been slowly moving them to bottles, so Peeta and I go and pick them up out of their cribs and bring them back to the living room. Everyone is ecstatic to see them. Peeta grabs two bottles out of the fridge and we sit and feed them while we continue talking, albeit more quietly.

"Quite the setup you two got yourselves," Johanna remarks looking around.

"Find yourself a family and maybe you'll get a place just as nice," I shoot back.

"And go soft like you? No thanks."

"I'm not soft," I reply indignantly. I look down at Josh in my arms then to Peeta and Eve. "I just know what I'm fighting for now."

There's silence after I finish speaking. Some jaws are dropped, and many eyes are wide.

"And there, ladies and gentlemen, are your spokesmen," Haymitch says in a faux-announcers voice.

I guess he's right. I can see why Coin took our deal. Peeta and I are not only incredibly popular and famous, we're a young couple with children. We're fighting this war for our children's futures, and that has to resonate with parents all over the country. I always wondered if my mother ever felt the way I used to about children, if she ever didn't want to bring them into this world.

"So are all of your quarters' nearby?" Peeta asks the room.

"We're next door," Finnick tells us with a smile.

"Awesome. You can help babysit," I grin. He and Annie chuckle but agree nonetheless.

"I'm down the hall a bit," Johanna informs.

"I'm next to her," Haymitch adds.

Everyone else relays their living arrangements, and I'm more than happy to see that they're all close by. Exactly what we wanted – our friends and family close. Prim and my mom are two doors down. It would be too weird having them right across the hall or something like that. Peeta and I are still a married couple – we need our space.

"Well I have to get to a class," Johanna says, looking down at the new implant on her arm.

Most of the others echo her statement, and they eventually filter out, leaving my family and Finnick and Annie.

"Well guys, we made it," I tell everyone.

"Seriously, we're so happy to see you two," Peeta smiles.

"We're happy to see you guys too," Finnick smiles back.

"Can I hold him?" Annie asks in a tiny voice, sitting right next to me and motioning to Josh.

"Of course. He's missed his Aunt Annie, you know," I whisper. She beams and I swear I see a tear in the corner of her eye. I'm convinced she loves my kids as much as I do.

Josh recognizes his aunt, and Annie couldn't look more perfect with him in her arms. I look over to Finnick, who is watching them with a small smile on his face. I know he'll make an excellent father, just like my husband.

Speaking of my husband, I turn and look at him. Eve is just finishing up her bottle, and Peeta is again making funny faces at her and tickling her. She adores her daddy. Her eyes light up and her face always shows how happy she is around him. It reminds me greatly of my relationship with my own father. I told Peeta this once, and he told me how honored he was that I would even compare him to my dad. It made me cry on the spot.

Finnick asks to hold Eve, and Peeta gently hands her over. As soon as his arms are free, I fill them up with me. He's more than happy to wrap me up in his tight, safe embrace.

We go on like this for a while, Eve and Josh spending time with their aunt and uncle while Peeta and I watch like the proud parents we are.

I put my lips next to Peeta's ear and whisper.

"I love you. There's no other words to describe it, just know that I do."

"I love you too," he whispers, turning to me, giving me a quick peck on the lips. I want more, but I know we can't – yet.

Eventually the twins fall back asleep, and Finnick and Annie beg us to let them put them to bed. We agree, and watch as they tuck Josh and Eve in, softly kissing their foreheads just like Peeta and I do.

We sit back down in the living room and catch up with our best friends.

"You guys don't have anywhere to be?" I ask.

"Not yet," Annie replies. "We don't have anything until dinner, actually. What about you two?"

I look to Peeta, not knowing if our little thing is a secret or not, and motion for him to answer.

"We don't have anything scheduled either," he diplomatically says.

"Good," Finnick smiles. "This is nice, just the four of us."

"It's like before I had the twins," I reminisce, remembering getting to know the O'Dairs when I was pregnant.

"Yeah but you're much skinnier now," Finnick teases.

"Hey!" Annie and I scold in unison. He just smirks.

"Katniss, you're always perfect," Peeta tells me seriously and kisses my cheek.

"Of course you'd say that," I joke, grinning. Then I whisper so only he can hear. "You were still getting laid every day."

He blushes deep and shyly looks away. I smile in victory. It's short-lived, however, as I feel his hot breath in my ear as he whispers.

"Remember last week? When we had to bring the twins to Prim's because you were so loud? You, me, tonight."

Now it's my turn to blush and look away. Finnick and Annie catch on quickly.

"Will you two stop whispering about your sex life please?" Annie begs. "Katniss already got me jealous about all that."

"You talked to her about our sex life?" Peeta asks incredulously.

I shrug and nod.

"Katniss Mellark!" He gasps.

"What? She's my best friend. I have to talk to _someone_. And I'm sure not going to tell Prim about – well – about what you and I do in the privacy of our bedroom."

"It's okay Peeta," Annie says soothingly. "Anything Katniss tells me I keep to myself."

"So you didn't tell Finnick?" Peeta shoots back.

Both of their eyes widen.

"Great," Peeta sighs.

"If it's any consolation," Finnick interjects, "I'm probably more jealous than Annie."

"Hey!" Annie yelps and punches him the shoulder.

"Sorry," he mutters.

"This is so awkward," Peeta mumbles as he buries his face into my shoulder. I rub his back.

"It's okay baby," I try to make him feel better. "At least you know how great you are?"

"Not helping, Kat," I hear.

I smirk and kiss the top of his head.

"Let's change topics," I suggest. Everyone readily agrees.

"So what's going to happen now?" I ask nobody in particular.

"I guess the war starts," Finnick answers.

"Meaning…..," Annie prompts.

He shrugs unknowingly.

"I guess we try to get the Districts behind us," Peeta puts in. "Eventually we have to take down the Capitol, but I'm sure we need a lot of backing for that."

"And we need you two for that," Annie points to us. "You need to help get everyone in Panem on our side."

We both sigh at the task ahead of us.

"Do you really think Peeta and me can do that?"

"Of course," Finnick immediately answers. "Even if you just got in front of a camera and simply told your story, that would be inspiring enough."

"What? How?" I ask.

"You seriously don't know?" Finnick looks between us. We shake our heads. He sighs and runs his hand through his hair before he continues. "Your story is, well, it's amazing. I mean come on, you volunteer for your sister, and then the guy that gets Reaped just happens to have been in love with you for years?"

I smile just thinking about Peeta being in love with me. He notices and kisses my cheek lightly.

"And then you go in the Arena," Annie picks up the story, "and you fall for him. Hard. And the whole country is right there to see it."

"So?" I mumble.

"Don't you see?" Finnick asks. "They tried to get you to kill each other, but instead, you chose suicide. You love each other so much you were willing to die just to be together. If that doesn't inspire someone, I don't know what will."

"I'd still choose death over a life without you," Peeta whispers.

"In an instant," I confirm.

"Now, you're married and you have two beautiful children," Annie finishes. "It's the perfect story to energize this country into believing in freedom again."

"But it's just a love story," I pipe up.

"Sure. But it's a story about hope. A story about overcoming insurmountable odds. A story about eternal optimism and never giving up in what you believe in."

This time, the words come out of Peeta's mouth.

"He's right," Finnick says softly. Annie nods her agreement.

"I just hope I don't look like an idiot on camera," I mutter.

Everyone laughs.

"I'll be right there the whole time," Peeta soothes.

"Promise?"

"Always."

"We're going to go check out our new place before dinner," Annie interrupts. "We'll stop by here and we can all go together?"

"Sure. That sounds great Annie," I smile.

We all hug and they leave.

"I hope we see Grayson and Annabel tonight," I remark as Peeta and I make our way back into our bedroom.

"Me too. I want to talk to them about, well, everything," Peeta responds as he opens his arms for me. I fall into them and he holds me tight.

"Do you think they're right about us, Peeta? About our story?"

He's silent for a moment before he answers.

"I'd like to think so, Kat. But I mean, when we're living it, it's different than what people perceive by looking in from the outside."

"That's certainly true."

"But now that I think about it, I can see what they mean. It's like something you told Jo once. Our love was doomed, Katniss. We were never supposed to make it this far. Every day we live as a family is a slap in the face to the Capitol. Our love, our marriage, our children are all proof that the Capitol can be beaten. And that will inspire people."

Now that I think of it that way, I see exactly what Finnick and Annie were talking about.

"I hope we make a difference," I whisper.

"We will. We can't afford not to."

I nod knowingly and softly kiss his chest, still covered by his t-shirt.

"Were you joking before?" I ask him.

"About what honey?"

"When you whispered about last week and told me we were going to do it again, tonight."

He smirks widely and his eyes take on that distinct look of lust that gets me going.

"I was certainly not joking, Mrs. Mellark."

"Prove it, Mr. Mellark," I challenge saucily.

He doesn't say another word, just grabs me around the waist and pulls my lips to his. I sigh into his mouth, knowing I'm right where I belong.

Afterwards, as we lay together and I twirl a hair on his chest, I listen to the steady beating of his heart.

"God I'm lucky," I hear Peeta mumble.

"I'm the lucky one," I try to tell him. He shakes his head vehemently.

"I'm never budging on this one, Kat."

"Me either."

"Fine."

"Fine."

We both burst out laughing at the fact we're arguing over who's the luckier one in our marriage. If this is our biggest problem, then we must have a great freaking marriage.

Peeta rustles a bit and I know he's trying to get up out of bed to do something. I tighten my hold on him.

"Peeta?"

"Hmm?"

"Stay with me?" I ask softly. He settles back down, kissing the crown of my head as he does so, and whispers every so quietly.

"Always."

**A/N: So there's the third chapter. This story is coming along great. We're three chapters in and they haven't even spent a full day in 13 yet. If this is a preview of what's to come, this story might end up being almost as long as its prequel. **

**Thanks for the all the support. I've only posted two chapters (until I post this obviously) and I already have almost 50 follows! **

**Please, please, please, LEAVE A REVIEW when you read a chapter. It lets me know you read it, and whether or not you liked it. Even if it's just an 'awesome' or 'you suck ass', I still appreciate it. I don't write these stories for money or fame, so reviews are really the only 'payment' I get. So, please, take a moment and leave me one. Not only does it make me smile, it prompts me to write the next chapter faster and more often. **

**Keep reviewing and reading. Tomorrow's TURKEY DAY in America! I hope everyone can spend the day with the people they love, stuffing their faces with that glorious turkey, stuffing, cranberries, mashed potatoes, and whatever else you enjoy. Oh, and watching that glorious game we call football. **

**Thanks!**

**-Josh**


	4. Young Romance

**Fair Warning: This chapter ends with an extended, amazingly smutty, XXX-rated, sweaty, dirty, foul-mouthed Everlark sex scene. You've been notified. **

**Enjoy!**

"Baby, Finnick and Annie are going to be here any minute," I call out to Peeta, who's getting the twins ready. "Are you almost ready?"

"Yup," he calls back.

He comes into the living room pushing the stroller. I smile when I see the onesies he changed Josh and Eve into. They're ones that Peeta thought up. They say 'I went to the O'Dair wedding and all I got was this lousy onesie!' I hope Annie and Finnick get a kick out of them.

"We should have Grayson and Annabel over here after," I suggest. "We need to talk to them."

Peeta nods.

"Definitely," he agrees.

A couple minutes later the O'Dairs show up. As I predicted, they smile wide and laugh at what our kids are wearing.

The six of us, four adults and two children, start making our way through the halls to the cafeteria.

Peeta and I are wearing dark grey cargo pants and our issued t-shirts that say 'MELLARK' in huge letters on the back. I love them simply because it broadcasts to anyone and everyone that I belong to my husband and no one else.

Along the way we see a few of the other Victor's family members and we greet them happily. After about fifteen minutes of twisting and turning we find the cafeteria which is filling up.

"There's my family," Peeta nudges me, pointing over to a table where the Mellarks sit.

"Guys, we'll meet you after we get our food. We need to go talk to our family," I say to Annie and Finnick.

"Sure," Annie smiles. "We'll save you some seats."

We walk over to where my in-laws and brothers-in-law are sitting. They see us coming and Rye and Nan hop up and sprint over. They hug Peeta and give me a kiss on the cheek before greeting their niece and nephew, who are happy to see them.

"Hi dad, mom," Peeta greets his parents.

"Dad, Mrs. Mellark," I echo.

Dad stands up and hugs me tight then gives Peeta a similar hug. Then the rest of the family almost freezes waiting to see Mrs. Mellark's reaction.

She stands up and I'm almost stunned to see a small smile on her face. She hugs Peeta gently then turns to me.

"Hello Katniss," she says softly.

"Hello," I reply evenly.

We're both at an impasse, not really knowing how to greet one another. I bridge the gap and give her a quick, stiff hug.

Peeta's obviously surprised, but I know if this is going to work that both of us need to be open to change.

After I hug her, she looks down at the stroller and her grandchildren. She still hasn't formally met them. I look to Peeta with a questioning look on his face. He turns to his brothers and dad, asking a silent question. They nod.

"Mom, Katniss and I would like you to meet your grandchildren."

I scoop Eve up and Peeta carefully picks up Josh.

"This is Josh," he introduces. She looks moved, and genuinely happy.

"And this beautiful girl is Eve," I continue.

"They're perfect," she whispers.

"Thank you," I tell her honestly.

"Can I – um – can I hold one of them?"

Peeta doesn't know how to react but I recover quickly.

"Sure. Here, take Eve."

I hand Eve over and I'm actually not as nervous as I thought I'd be. She sits down at the table and I sit next to her. She's looking down at my daughter with love in her eyes. It's obvious she wanted a girl. Maybe that had something to do with how she treated Peeta as a kid.

"She looks like you," she whispers.

"She has Peeta's eyes," I point out. She nods.

"She's gorgeous," she says shakily. I can tell she's getting emotional.

"I know. Thank you."

"I'm so sorry," she sobs, and tears start escaping her eyes.

"I know," I repeat.

"If you'll let me, I'd like to get to know them. I know I don't deserve that, but I would be eternally grateful."

"Like I told you before, if you keep changing like you seem to be, I don't see a problem with that."

"Thank you Katniss. I know you hate me. But you're a wonderful wife and mother, something I never was. I see that now."

"I don't hate you," I shake my head. "Dislike, maybe, but you're proving that maybe you're not as bad as I thought."

"Why are you being so nice to me?" She asks me, looking me in the eye. I sigh and run my hand through my hair and down my braid, tugging on the end like my boys like to do.

"You're my mother-in-law. You're Peeta's mom, and my children's grandmother. Peeta has taught me a lot of things in the last year, forgiveness being one of them. I figure if he can forgive you for the years of abuse, I can at least try. It doesn't mean I'll tolerate you even speaking ill of him or our family," I warn.

She nods somberly.

"When I went to Peeta after I lied to him, I thought he'd never forgive me," I surprise myself by telling her. "He always proves me wrong, and never ceases to amaze me with his heart. I was there for maybe ten minutes and he'd already forgiven me and forgotten about it. He told me everyone deserves a second chance. Maybe you do too."

She mouths thank you, unable to speak, and looks back down at my daughter in her arms, who's watching us with rapt attention. I think she can sense what's happening, she's a smart little girl.

"Honey, we should eat," Peeta gently suggest from across the table. I nod and stand up, taking Eve back.

We strap them in the stroller and say goodbye to the family.

"Thank you Kat," Peeta whispers as we move to the line.

"For what?"

"For what you did for my mom."

"It's like you always say, everyone deserves a second chance."

"You're so amazing, you know that?" He says in awe.

"You're the amazing one," I wave him off.

"Here we go again," he jokes. We laugh together and kiss.

We get our food, and it takes a few minutes because we don't have implants to scan. Finally they realize who we are and we get our portions.

We find Finnick and Annie, who are at a table with Johanna, Haymitch, Beetee, and Wiress. We sit, greeting everyone. I take Josh in my lap and Peeta has Eve in his.

"This food is terrible," Haymitch complains. Everyone grumbles their agreement.

"And the portions are ridiculously small," Peeta notes.

"They have a lot more mouths to feed now, I guess," Beetee observes. Everyone nods.

"There's Grayson and Annabel," I point out to Peeta. "I'll go tell them we want to talk to them later."

I get up and put Josh on my shoulder as I quickly make my way to them. They're sitting with some of the other Tributes from their Alliance, and they all seem happy, joking around with one another. Annabel spots me first.

"Mrs. Mellark!" She almost yells. Everyone at the table turns and sees me. The other Tributes' eyes go wide, obviously knowing who I am.

"Hi Annabel," I smile. "Hi Grayson."

"Hi Mrs. Mellark," Grayson says politely as he and Annabel get up and stand in front of me.

"I'm so happy to see you two safe."

"Thank you Mrs. Mellark," Annabel smiles. "You told us you'd keep us alive, and you did."

"We were just doing our job," I justify.

"No," Grayson shakes his head. "You and Mr. Mellark truly saved us. Thank you."

"Well you're welcome," I relent. "Speaking of Peeta, we would like it if you two could come over to our quarters after dinner. We'd like to speak with both of you."

"Okay. Are we in trouble?" Annabel asks nervously. I laugh.

"No, not at all. We just haven't seen you since the Arena. Plus I'm sure the twins would love to see you," I grin, motioning to Josh in my arms. They both smile wide.

"Sure," Grayson speaks for them. "We'll see you then."

"Great. Have fun with your friends," I tell them as they sit back down.

I make my way back to our table and sit down. I tell Peeta that they agreed to come by, and we continue with our meal.

"Have you seen mom or Prim?" Peeta asks.

"Now that you mention it, no," I answer, looking around.

"They have a different meal time," Haymitch informs us. "They're working in the medical wing, so they eat with everyone there."

"Oh. Thanks, Haymitch."

"Sure thing, sweetheart."

The rest of the meal goes by quickly, and we all eat everything on our trays. The twins start to get a little cranky in the loud cafeteria, so we say goodbye to our friends, strap them in their stroller, and hurry back to our room.

"Let's feed them and put them down for now," I say to Peeta as we walk in.

"Sounds good Kat."

Once the twins are in their cribs, we curl up on the couch and wait for our Tributes to arrive, which they do about twenty minutes later.

"Hey guys," Peeta greets as he opens the door. "Come on in and take a seat."

Peeta sits back down next to me and I snuggle close into him. We both grin when we notice Grayson and Annabel sit on a love seat close to one another. I see their hands almost magnetically reach for each other, but they both retract them quickly.

"Well, here we are," Peeta starts. "Do you have any questions for us? I know this all must be, well, overwhelming. I know it is for us."

"What's going to happen now?" Grayson asks.

"Like we told you before the Games, now the war starts. We'll try and get the other Districts to back us, and eventually, hopefully, we'll overthrow the Capitol," Peeta explains slowly.

"We're really in a Rebellion?" Annabel asks quietly.

"Yes," I nod. "Peeta and I have been involved since our Victory Tour. We weren't supposed to tell you before you went into the Games, but obviously we did."

"Why?" She asks.

Peeta and I sigh simultaneously.

"We couldn't let you go in there thinking you were going to die," I almost whisper. "I know what that feels like, and if there was a way for me to prevent you going through that, then I had to take it."

"We also knew that if you two knew what was really going to happen, you'd make better decisions in the Arena," Peeta adds.

"Did we?" Grayson asks nervously. I know he's thinking of how he saved that little girl Emily.

"Absolutely," I say firmly with conviction. "You guys did great."

"Really?" They ask in unison.

"Yes," Peeta replies.

"Grayson, you were so incredibly brave to save that young girl. I was so proud of you," I say genuinely. "You reminded me of my husband," I whisper.

"I was so scared," he admits. "But I couldn't let her die, I couldn't let her kill him."

"I know," Peeta assures him. "You did the right thing buddy. Know that. We're both incredibly proud of you. You showed the entire country what people from 12 are all about."

"Thank you," he blushes.

"No, thank you," Peeta instantly answers. "What the two of you did in the Arena will actually really help the Rebellion. Especially when you took in those Career girls."

"What? Why?" Annabel asks curiously.

"Because you showed compassion," I reply. "You had every right to turn them away, or even kill them. It's actually what was probably expected of you, at least by the Capitol. But instead, you fed them, talked to them, and ultimately saved their lives. To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure I would have made the same choice."

"Katniss is right," Peeta says. "You stuck your noses up at the Capitol when you did that. It's going to resonate with a lot of people in the Districts."

They both nod in understanding. I hope they truly understand the gravity of what they did, and how much their gestures really will aid in the war effort.

A random thought pops in my head.

"Did they take out your trackers?" I ask them.

"Yeah," Annabel nods. They pull up their sleeves and show us bandages over the areas where their trackers were. "As soon as we got on the hovercraft."

"Good," I let out a breath. "They hurt, huh?"

Everyone in the room nods and smiles.

"There's one more thing we wanted to talk with you about," Peeta says softly. He looks to me and we have a quick silent conversation. I nod and quickly kiss him.

"What's that?" Grayson asks, nervous again.

Peeta takes a deep breath before he speaks again. I know he's thinking about how carefully he has to word this.

"We noticed, well, there's no easy way to put this really. We noticed that you two became 'close' in the Arena."

They both immediately blush and avert their eyes. I can't help but giggle at their reaction. Peeta squeezes my hand and I shoot him an apologetic look.

"We're sorry," Grayson whispers.

"It's nothing to be sorry about," I assure them quickly. "We just need to talk about it, that's all. I know it might be uncomfortable, trust me. Remember, Peeta and I were in almost the exact same position last year."

"Exactly," Peeta echoes. "You guys know you can tell us anything, right?" They nod. "So talk to us."

"We – we – we like each other," Annabel says, barely audible.

Peeta and I can't help but smile wide.

"I think that's fairly obvious," I tease.

They blush even deeper.

"Is it – is it – bad?" Grayson asks Peeta.

"No," Peeta shakes his head. "Look, you're allowed to feel however you want. It's just – well – you're young."

"We just want to make sure you know that we're here for you two. If you ever have any questions, or just want to talk," I slowly explain. "Peeta's and my relationship was viewed by the whole country. We know what it's like to have everyone know your business. So we're here for you two."

"Thank you," they say together.

"But remember," I warn. "You're barely eleven years old. I know Peeta and I are married, but we were sixteen when we wed. We're not much older, but trust me, there's a lot of maturing that happens in those years."

"Don't get us wrong," Peeta interjects. "You two have every right to like one another. I was in love with Katniss long before I was your age."

"And I'm fairly sure I fell in love with him when I was eleven, when he threw me that bread and saved my life," I smile. Peeta beams at me. "But that doesn't change the fact that you are still kids. Do you understand what we're saying?"

"Yes, Mrs. Mellark," Annabel answers. Grayson nods his agreement, both of their eyes wide.

"One more thing," Peeta holds up his index finger. "We have to remember that the whole country saw what we did. And when everyone saw that Katniss and I were in love, they wanted to use that. We're still using that to our advantage. So don't be surprised if you're asked to do something like an interview or Propo. We'll be here for you the entire time, though."

They both look taken aback, not fully realizing the implications of their mutual attraction.

"We do think it's great," I smile at them. "Just take it slow. Like we said, you're still kids."

"Okay, Mrs. Mellark," Grayson whispers nervously.

"Guys, relax," Peeta says, trying to lighten the mood. "You're not in trouble. We just want to make sure you know everything and that you're prepared."

They nod again.

"The second you two were Reaped, you became famous," I explain. "And now that you've shown that you like each other in _that_ way, people will want to hear more about you, just like us. So just keep that in mind, okay?"

"Okay," they both breathe.

"Now that that's out of the way, how would you guys like to see the twins?" I ask with a smile.

Their faces light up and they nod enthusiastically.

"They're asleep, but you can go in and see them if you're quiet," I mockingly warn.

They go into the twins' bedroom and we let them have some time alone.

"That was awkward," Peeta grins when they shut the door.

"Yup."

He leans over and whispers in my ear.

"The second they leave I'm going to fuck my wife. Hard."

I turn to look him dead in the eye.

"Promises, promises."

He smirks and kisses me deep. Before we get too carried away we mutually pull back with a whimper and wait patiently. About ten minutes later, Grayson and Annabel come out of the twins' room with wide smiles, and I am ecstatic to see them gently holding hands.

"Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Mellark," Annabel says sincerely.

"You're welcome. How would you two like it if sometimes you came and babysat?" I ask.

"Really?" She responds excitedly.

"Yes, really," I say sarcastically.

"Thank you!" She hugs me tight.

We say goodbye and they leave after thanking us again and again, for the talk and the offer of babysitting.

As soon as the door is shut I feel Peeta's hands wrap around my waist and his lips on the back of my neck, as he is behind me.

"You going to make love to my neck or are you going to fuck me?"

In response, he expertly unsnaps my pants and darts his hand under my panties. He slips two fingers in quickly, using his thumb to massage my clit.

"Oh baby," I moan. I feel his grin on my skin.

We start slowly moving together towards the bedroom, but he doesn't stop what he's doing. As if I'd let him.

When we're in the doorway, I force him to stop moving.

"Deeper," I plead. He obliges, and his other hand snakes up my t-shirt and under my bra, gripping my breast and tweaking my sensitive nipple.

"I want you to come right here," he whispers seductively.

"I'm about to," I inform him. He speeds up his fingers' thrusts and a minute later I'm convulsing in his arms, moaning his name as I come.

He keeps his fingers inside me as we begin moving towards the bed again. When we reach the end, he slips them out and I turn to face him, pressing my lips to his and slipping my tongue in his mouth.

"I was just thinking about it," I tell him between kisses, "and I don't want to do it on the bed."

"No? Where then?"

"I want to fuck on the couch," I smirk. His eyes go dark with desire.

We silently agree and begin to frantically strip each other of any and all clothes. I let him remove my bra and panties, knowing how much he loves to. As he slowly slides my panties down, he kneels in front of me and kisses each inch of newly exposed skin, driving me wild. Before he stands back up, he quickly buries his face between my legs, and I feel his tongue momentarily slip into my already wet pussy.

"Holy shit," I groan. "Take me to the couch, Peeta, I need your cock inside me right now."

"Yes, ma'am," he grins as he stands back up and kisses me. I hoist up and wrap my legs tightly around him, linking my arms around his neck. I can feel his hard erection against my thigh.

Finally we make it to the couch. I get down off of Peeta and gently push him so he's sitting upright.

I get on my knees and take his erection in my hands.

"What are you doing? I thought you said-"

"I need to get it wet baby," I interrupt.

"Oh," he ekes out.

I smirk up at him and lean my head down. I take him in my mouth. He moans when I fit his entire erection in my mouth. I have to consciously ignore my gag reflex to do it, but we both love it.

When he's sufficiently wet I decide he's ready. Before I get up, I take his balls in my mouth and quickly lick them, just to tease him. He can't even speak. He he.

"Okay. Now we can get started," I inform him as I stand back up.

He looks up at me, and the look of love in his eyes is overwhelming. I'm standing in front of him, naked, about to mount him, and it feels just like the first time we ever made love, the night before we got married.

I carefully get up onto the couch. Peeta helps me by grabbing my hips, guiding me. I slowly lower myself onto him, his cock filling me up as I slide him all the way in.

"Ohhhh," we moan together.

I start thrusting up and down, holding his hands as I do so, kissing him hard on every down thrust.

He leans forward and takes my breast in his mouth, licking my nipple in the process. He takes one of his hands and slides it down my body until his thumb is working my clit, driving me nuts.

"Don't stop," I beg. "Please baby, don't stop."

"As long as you don't," he begs back.

He reaches up and grabs the back of my head, crashing our lips together. We kiss frantically as I ride him, groaning every time he's all the way inside me.

"When you're inside me I feel complete," I whisper against his lips.

"I know," he whispers back. "Oh god Katniss, you're so fucking warm and tight."

"You get me so wet," I smile. "Only you, Peeta. You get to fuck me every day for the rest of your life."

"Every day?" He smirks.

I nod.

"Whenever you want," I promise him, "this pussy is yours to fuck."

"Oh god," he moans in joy, "I love you so much."

"I love you too baby." I bury my head in his shoulder as I feel another orgasm coming on.

"You're going to come?" He asks. I nod. "Speed up a little and we'll come together."

I am extremely excited at the mere prospect of a mutual release, and I speed up my thrusts, doing my little circles when he's all the way in.

"Almost there," he warns. "Keep going Kat."

I can feel both of us close to the edge and it brings me to a level of ecstasy I've never known before.

As my orgasm begins, Peeta's is right around the corner.

"I'm going to come," he tells me softly.

"Kiss me baby," I plead. He cradles my cheek and we kiss as we come together, his cock buried inside me, completing my world.

When, minutes later, we've finished, I keep him inside me as I collapse atop him. I bury my face into his shoulder and he gently kisses my shoulder.

"Let's do that again soon," he jokes.

"Definitely," I nod.

"Have you noticed we've been talking dirtier and dirtier?" He asks.

"Mmhmm. Is – um – is that okay?" I nervously ask.

"You joking? I love it," he confirms.

"Good. Me too."

"In that case, would you be opposed to moving this to the bed?"

I ponder my response for a few seconds before I answer.

"Are you going to fuck me harder than you just did?"

"I can certainly try."

"No, Peeta, I need to know," I whine stubbornly.

"Yes, Katniss, I vow that it will be harder and deeper."

"Promise?"

"Always."

It's going to be a good first night in District 13.

**A/N: I might've gotten carried away with the smut there at the end, but sometimes it's just too much fun. A few people have asked me about how I write those scenes. To be perfectly honest, my girlfriend helps out A LOT, considering they're all from a female's perspective. So, thanks go out to her. **

**I'm so happy to see people are enjoying the sequel so far. It's been fun to write, and I have a ton of ideas for what's going to happen with the war, with Coin, with everything. I'm (obviously) completely changing Mockingjay. I loathed the hijacking storyline. I'm going a different direction, but you guys didn't seem opposed to that when I did with 'It Was A Lie', so here we go. **

**I can't believe I have over 50 reviews after just THREE chapters! Seriously, you guys are just awesome. Thank you so much. Keep the reviews coming! It makes me right more, honestly!**

**Don't be surprised if I don't post a chapter tomorrow. It's Thanksgiving, so it's going to be a busy day, and I'm playing golf in the morning with my parents and sister. I'll try, but I'm not making any promises. There's golf, football games, and dinner, which usually lasts hours. **

**To all my American readers, HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I hope everyone is able to spend it with those they love. **

**Keep reviewing and reading. Happy Turkey Day! **


	5. Their First Propo

**Fair Warning: The beginning of this chapter contains an awesomely smutty, heated, hot, sweat-inducing Everlark XXX-rated sex scene. You've been notified. Enjoy at your own risk (or benefit). **

**Enjoy!**

"_Mrs. Mellark."_

_My head snaps around and I look at Coin. _

_Wait, why am I in command? And why am I alone? I look around the room, and, alas, it's just me and Coin. Where's Peeta? _

"_What?" I snap. _

"_I'm sorry," she says, but she doesn't sound particularly sorry._

"_About what?"_

"_Your husband."_

_My eyes narrow at the mention of Peeta. _

"_What about him?" I growl. _

"_Were you not listening?"_

"_Just tell me."_

"_He's dead."_

_With those two words, my heart shatters into a million pieces. I'm having trouble breathing. Peeta's gone. He's gone. He promised! He told me he'd never leave me and the kids! Oh god, the kids! Josh and Eve!_

"_Where are my children?" I ask impatiently. _

"_With your sister," she tells me. "Now, we need you to do a Propo right away. We must use your grief."_

_She looks way too happy that my husband is dead. _

"_Are you out of your fucking mind!" I scream. "My husband is dead! We were supposed to be safe here! And all you can think about is using that?"_

"_I truly am sorry Mrs. Mellark. The assassin fooled us all."_

_Assassin? That's how he died? He wasn't sent out into combat – he died right here in the 'safety' of 13?_

"_Go to hell," I spit. "I'm taking my children and we're leaving. It's obviously not safe for us here."_

"_You're not going anywhere," she replies smugly. "Your husband's body is currently lying in the morgue. I'm sure you want to properly bury him?" I nod. "Well, he will stay there as long as I order it. You will obey me, Katniss."_

_This is hell. Simply hell. Peeta's left me all alone, and now I'm under Coin's thumb. I have to raise our children alone. Oh my god, Peeta's really gone. _

_I collapse in the chair I'm in, my head thumping against the conference table. I let the tears flow. I could care less about anything right now. All that matters is my family. _

"_I'll give you a few minutes before we begin filming," Coin says casually. "I expect you to be convincing."_

_I can't do this. I always told Peeta if he left, I'd be right behind him. I can't live without him. Our children will be better off with Prim. If both of us are gone, she gets full custody. It's in our wills. I'd be useless – far worse than my own mother. Peeta was everything to me. _

_I'm suddenly glad I stipulated being always armed in my deal with Coin. _

_She's leaving the room. Now's my chance. _

_I reach down and grab my side arm. I quickly rack the slide and flip the safety off. Coin hears and starts running towards me as I bring the barrel up to my temple. _

"_I'll see you soon baby," I whisper as I begin pulling the trigger._

My eyes shoot open and my face is already buried into Peeta's chest.

Peeta! He's alive!

"Peeta?" I whisper meekly.

"I'm here, Katniss," he answers softly.

"Oh my god," I whimper. "You're alive!"

"Shhh, it's okay baby," he coos quietly.

"You left me!" I yell at him, pounding his chests with my fists. "You promised and you left!"

"It was just a nightmare, Kat," he soothes, "it wasn't real. I'd never leave you. Breathe, honey, breathe. It was just a dream. Not real."

"It wasn't real?" I repeat.

"No. I'm right here. Feel," he coaxes. He grabs my hand and places it right above his heart. I can feel the steady beats.

I let out a deep breath of relief. I'm finally coming out of my haze, realizing I was merely dreaming.

"It was so horrible," I tell him softly. "I was in Command with Coin and she told you were dead. That an assassin had killed you."

"Oh, baby," he sighs.

"I couldn't do it, Peeta. She wanted me to film Propos right after you died. I couldn't. I can't. If you die, I die."

"What are you saying Kat?"

I look up at him and both of us have tears in our eyes.

"I'm saying if you die I'm going to be right behind you. I've told you this before, Peeta."

"I know, but I never thought you were really serious. What about – what about our kids?"

I take a moment before I answer.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again. They'd be better off without me if you were gone, Peeta. I'd be ten times worse than my mom. If you were gone," I choke up just thinking about it, "if you were gone, I'd die inside. I'd be useless. They'd at least have a good life with Prim."

"But both of their parents would be dead," he points out.

"I know," I nod sadly. "But if it was just me, they'd have one parent who was never there. I know it's terrible to think about and to say, but I just know. I couldn't do that to them, Peeta, they deserve the best. And me without you is not that."

He sighs and runs his hand through my hair. I lean up and give him a chaste kiss on the lips. I feel him timidly return it.

"I don't like this, Katniss, not at all."

"I don't expect you to. I just told you I'm going to commit suicide if anything happens to you."

"There's nothing I can do to change your mind, is there?" He asks.

I shake my head vehemently. It's true. I made my decision long ago.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," he mumbles.

"We have to sometime," I retort. "Peeta, what would you do if I died?"

"That's not going to happen," he says firmly.

"Peeta," I breath. "Just think hypothetically with me for a minute. What would you do if I died? How would you react?"

He's silent and I can tell he's thinking about it as he stares at the wall. I hate making him think about such a somber thought, but we do need to get it all out there. We are in a war, after all.

"I don't know," he finally admits. "You're my life, Kat, my entire world."

"I feel the same way about you."

"I'm not sure what I'd do. Every time I look at Eve and Josh I think of you. I don't know how that would make me feel if you were gone. On one hand, I'd like to think that they would give me a reason to go on, but on the other, I'm afraid that they would just remind me of you and make it all the worse. That's horrible to say, but it's the truth."

I nod knowingly.

"Look, I don't want to think about this anymore," he continues. "We've done everything possible to keep our family safe here, and we'll keep doing that. So let's not worry about it. We can't let it control us. We can't control the future. Whatever happens will happen, but just know I'm going to do anything and everything to stay with your and our kids. I promise."

"I promise too, Peeta. There's no place I'd rather be than right here, in your arms."

"Good, because I kind of like having you in my arms," he finally smiles.

"Just like?" I tease.

"Okay, you got me, I love it," he grins.

"Do you love this too?" I tease again. I flip my leg over him and straddle him, quickly lifting my t-shirt over my head leaving my naked except for my tiny black panties. His eyes go wide.

"I love you," he mutters happily. I smile wide and lean down to kiss him.

"I love you too," I whisper against his lips.

"Katniss?" He asks shyly.

"What is it baby?"

"Can we have sex?"

"What did I tell you last night, Peeta?" I ask. He shrugs. "I told you that this," I grab his hand and shove it down my panties so it's atop my wet folds, "is yours to fuck whenever you want. I meant it, baby. Whenever you want, I'm yours. Forever."

"Best. Wife. Ever," he grins.

"So are you going to keep talking or are you going to fuck the shit out of me?" I ask impatiently.

"We'll get to the fucking soon enough," he replies seductively. In an instant he surprises me by flipping me over and hovering above me, laying soft kisses all over my body.

"Please, Peeta," I beg.

His kisses start leading him towards my legs, and I don't object. He reaches the promised land and kisses me through my panties which are now soaked through.

"Oh baby," I moan, "please fuck me."

"No," he shakes his head. I glare at him. He just smirks. "Right now, I want to taste you."

Oh my god. The things this man does to me.

He slowly, too slowly, slides my panties off, kissing the newly exposed skin. When they're finally off, he brings them up to his nose and inhales, smiling at my scent, driving me wild.

"Get your tongue or your cock inside me of right now," I demand smokily.

"Yes, ma'am," he teases.

He lays back down between my legs and I feel his tongue nipping at my folds. I feel him lick my clit and I start writhing under him. He grabs my thighs and holds me down.

His tongue finally darts inside of me and I'm already close to coming. I feel him smile against my lips. He knows what he does to me, and he better be proud of it.

"Keep going," I plead breathily. "Please don't stop."

"I want you to come," he tells me. "I want to taste you as you come."

A minute later, his wish comes true. As the orgasm racks through me, Peeta keeps his tongue inside me, and I know he's enjoying it as much, if not more, than I am.

"Ohhhh, Peeta, right there baby, that's it," I moan.

When my orgasm is finished, I look down and our eyes meet. He lifts his head up a couple inches and whispers.

"You taste amazing."

My eyes roll into the back of my head and I'm sure he's going to make me come again with just his words.

"I want to reciprocate," I inform him, trying to worm my way out from under him, intent on taking him in my mouth and tasting him.

"No," he says with conviction.

Before I can argue, he swiftly shifts his body, and his face is right above mine. I feel his erection enter me, and I help him by wiggling down, and he fills me up all the way.

"Ohhhh," we groan in unison.

"Kiss me," I beg as he begins thrusting powerfully.

He bends down and our lips meet, and I force my tongue in his mouth. I can taste myself on his tongue. I just wish he'd let me taste him right now.

"Harder," I plead.

He obliges and his thrusts get harder and harder until I'm coming again, moaning his name and how much I love him into his mouth as he doesn't stop kissing me.

I lean my head up a bit and put my lips next to his ear and whisper.

"You tell me when you're going to come."

"Why?" He asks.

"I want your cock in my mouth when you do."

I hear him let out a choking sound of disbelief. I giggle and whisper again.

"You got to taste me, and I want to taste you. It's only fair. So, when you come, you're coming in my mouth. Got it?"

He just nods and I feel the need to kiss him again, which I do.

"Now fuck me until you come," I demand.

He smiles and shakes his head slightly.

We last a while longer, and he brings me to another amazing orgasm before he starts towards his own. I can tell he's getting there from the neediness in his kisses, the look in his eyes.

"I'm gonna come Kat," he whispers hoarsely. I smirk in anticipation.

I push at his shoulder for a moment before he gets the idea. He rolls onto his back and I roll with him, his cock still inside me. I ride him for a few moments before he warns me he's there.

I quickly slide off and kneel between his legs. I dart my head down and take his length in my mouth, tasting both of us. I grip the bottom of his erection with one hand, aiding my mouth, and use the other one to massage both his balls. From his moans and groans I know how much he loves it.

"Here it comes," he warns.

In response I slide all of him into my mouth, ignoring my gag reflex as I do so. I feel his body tense then release. The warmth of his come fills my mouth and I keep my ministrations up, wanting every last drop of his orgasm in my mouth.

I run my lips up and down his length a couple times, simultaneously cleaning him and draining him of any last morsels. When I'm done, I look up to him and our eyes meet. I open my mouth slightly to show him his load on my tongue, then over exaggerate as I swallow all of it.

Like mine before, his eyes roll into the back of his head in pleasure. I grin knowing what it does to him.

I lean down and clean him up again, and when I'm done, I lay the customary series of kisses on the tip of his length. He moans in gratitude.

Finally I shift my body back up to him and we kiss deeply, both our tastes mixing in our mouths. I used to think that this was gross, before we had sex, but now I know I was wrong. It's one of the ultimate expressions of our love.

"I love you so much," I whisper.

"I love you too," he whispers back.

"Always?" I ask.

"Always," he confirms.

We fall back asleep spooning, his chest against my back and his arms wrapped tightly, protectively, around me. I never want to be any place else.

We awake a few hours later in time for breakfast. We wake the twins up, feed, bathe and change them, and make our way to the cafeteria with Annie and Finnick.

We sit with everyone we sat with at dinner last night, but Peeta and I are unusually quiet. We just sit close to each other, fawning over our children as we eat.

"What's with you two, sweetheart?" Haymitch eventually asks. The table goes silent, apparently all wondering the same thing.

"Nothing," I reply quickly, not taking my eyes off Eve.

"Don't lie," Johanna says.

"Seriously, nothing's wrong," I say more insistently.

"What, did you just get laid or something?" Jo retorts.

Peeta and I both involuntarily blush and try to duck our heads even lower.

"Oh god," Johanna mutters in horror, "you did get laid this morning, didn't you?"

"So?" Annie comes to our defense. "They're married. Don't get jealous, Johanna."

"Shut up, O'Dair," Jo snaps back. Annie just smiles at her as she takes Finnick's hand.

"Peeta's and my private life is none of your business," I tell her indignantly.

"It's my business when you're sitting here with a permanent smile on your face, obviously having been ravaged this morning," Jo shoots back.

God, could this get any more embarrassing?

"Please stop," I beg.

"I'll stop if you stop making it so obvious."

"Fine. I don't really know what that means, but I'll try," I relent. Everyone chuckles and the tension, whatever weird tension there was, breaks.

"I know this is going to ruin your morning, sweetheart, but-"

"Really, Haymitch?" Peeta interrupts. Haymitch nods. "Fine."

"Plutarch pulled me aside this morning. You and the kid have to shoot your first Propo after breakfast."

Peeta and I look at each other. We knew this was coming, obviously. It was our idea, after all. But now it's real. We look to each other then our kids. Haymitch picks up on it.

"You can bring the kids," he tells us. "But they're not gong to be in it."

"Good," I smile a bit at that.

The rest of the meal goes by quicker, and Peeta and I are both getting nervous.

After we put our trays away, we begin walking towards the exit when Plutarch appears in front of us.

"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Mellark," he says politely, but I can tell he's nervous about our reactions.

"We know, Plutarch," I tell him. "I guess we're going now?"

He nods.

"Please follow me."

He leads us through the halls and into an elevator. We push the twins in their stroller in front of us as we go.

The elevator brings us to a floor than apparently is dedicated to filming various things. There's studio after studio and all sorts of dressing rooms.

"Mrs. Mellark, please go into this room," he motions.

"No," Peeta immediately interjects to my relief. "The four of us stay together, Plutarch, no matter what."

Plutarch sighs but reluctantly nods his head. We go into the room he pointed at, and he closes the door and leaves us.

After a couple minutes, Portia and Cinna enter.

"Cinna! Portia!" I yell happily.

We all hug, ecstatic to see each other safe and happy. They greet the twins, marveling at how quickly they're growing.

Cinna makes his way to a closet and brings out a dress.

"They want you to wear this, Katniss."

It reminds me of the Capitol. It looks like a dress I'd wear for an interview with Caesar.

"No," I shake my head.

Cinna smiles.

"I though that's what you'd say. What do you two want to wear?"

I look down at myself then at Peeta. We're wearing combat boots, cargo pants, thigh holsters with loaded side arms, and t-shirts that have our names and ranks. My hair is braided in a single braid (Peeta did it this morning) and his hair is just curly and wild.

"This," I shrug.

All four of us smile.

"I think that's perfect," Portia comments. Cinna nods.

"Will you two watch the twins while we film?" Peeta asks.

They look incredibly honored at the request.

"Of course. They won't be out of your sight," Cinna accepts happily.

A few minutes later, we're ushered into a studio. Cinna and Portia take the stroller but stay close. The crew laments that we're not wearing what they wanted us to.

"Deal with it," I snap.

Plutarch appears and somehow calms the situation down, telling everyone that it would actually be better for us to be seen as soldiers.

He holds up some cue cards. Written on them are some ridiculous paragraphs about our love and about how Coin is the leader Panem needs.

Peeta and I have a silent conversation, and know what to do.

"We'll speak from our hearts," Peeta informs Plutarch. Plutarch just nods knowingly, aware he can't change either one of our minds, especially when we're agreeing.

A couple moments later, the lights go on, and the cameras start rolling. I pray Peeta takes the lead. He does. He knows me so well.

"Hello, Panem," Peeta starts. We're standing close, holding hands tightly. "My name is Peeta Mellark, although I'm sure you already knew that," he smiles. He squeezes my hand, letting me know he wants me to introduce myself.

"My name is Katniss Mellark," I manage to say. "I'm Peeta's wife," that makes me grin.

"My wife and I are here today to speak to you about something incredibly important," Peeta continues. "Your freedom."

He pauses for effect after that, letting his words marinate.

"The Capitol and President Snow would have you believe that you are free. But are you, really? Don't they take two of your District's children every year for their pleasure? Can you go visit someone in another District if you want to? Are you really, truly, _free_?"

His words inspire me to action, so after a moment, I speak up, surprising myself with the conviction in my voice.

"We want you to feel freedom. We want everyone in our country to be able to do what they want, when they want, with whoever they want. But most of all, we want to get rid of the Capitol, President Snow, and the Hunger Games."

"The Hunger Games are a plague on this land," Peeta picks up my line of thinking. "Katniss and I were reaped for the 74th Games. When we went into that Arena, I thought, without a doubt, I would die in there. All I cared about was getting her out alive. I never want another child to ever have to experience that again. We're fighting this war for our children."

"Exactly," I continue. "Peeta and I have two babies. Twins. Joshua Haymitch and Eve Rue. We want them to grow up in a place where they don't have to worry about being Reaped. We don't want them to ever have to worry about being safe when they go to bed at night. We want our children to be happy. That's why we're fighting. That's why we need your help, Panem. We can't do this alone."

"Katniss is right. We need your help. We need every District to stand with us against the Capitol. We can not be afraid. We must all be brave, we must all stand as one. If we do that, we can't be stopped. We will make this world better for our children."

"Please," I plead into the camera. "Please, join us. We know how hard it is. We know how hard it is to stand up against them. They seem so powerful. But the only way they win is if you let them win. If you believe they hold power of you. Because they don't, not really. You are your own person. You make your own choices, no one else. We're counting on you, Panem, for your help."

There's a few moments of silence, so naturally, I assume we're done.

I think the Propo is over, so I turn to Peeta.

"I love you," I tell him honestly, unaware the cameras are still rolling. "We're going to win this war, for Josh and Eve."

"I love you too. We're going to give them the future they deserve, Kat, I promise."

"CUT!" Plutarch yells.

Peeta and I look around at the stunned faces of everyone in the studio. Someone starts clapping, then everyone joins. I blush and bury my face into Peeta's shoulder. I feel him rubbing my back soothingly.

"That was amazing," Plutarch gushes as he walks to us. "If we can film Propos like that, we're going to have no trouble gaining support in the Districts."

"Really?" Peeta asks.

"Absolutely," Plutarch nods, still smiling widely. "That was a great first shoot. We're done for the day."

Peeta and I quietly get Josh and Eve back from Cinna and Portia, who are also very congratulatory. We get pats on the back as we exit the studio. I'm not so sure what was so special about what we did. Like Peeta said, we spoke from the heart and just told the truth.

We make it back to our room, and the twins are asleep, so we put them in their cribs carefully. I just collapse on our bed after taking my thigh holster off.

"Tired?" Peeta asks softly.

I nod.

"You did great, baby," he tells me as he lies down and takes me in his arms. I happily snuggle into him.

"It was easier than I thought," I whisper.

"That's because it was the truth."

"But I was so nervous every time we interviewed with Caesar.

"This is different. We're not doing this for the Capitol. We're doing this for our family and no one else. We both really do want to win this war, and if doing that helps, then we're both going to do our best."

"You're right," I admit.

"You look so hot in those cargo pants," he says out of the blue. I smirk up at him.

"So do you."

He smirks back and I know what's about to happen.

"Shower?" He asks.

I nod.

"As long as you fuck me against the wall and then wash my hair, definitely."

He rolls his eyes as he picks me up bridal style.

"You have such a dirty mouth, Mrs. Mellark."

"I can stop if you'd like, Mr. Mellark."

"You'd better not."

"Good. In that case, shut up and fuck me, Peeta."

"Anything for my wife."

**A/N:**

**So they've done their first Propo. Will Coin like it? Will it help? Will they do more like that, or will they be forced to follow a script? What will the Capitol and Snow's reaction be to their betrayal? Stay tuned to find out. **

**I hope all my fellow Americans had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It truly is one of my favorite holidays, because it's all about spending time with your family, no matter your race or religion. It's about being an American and being thankful for everyone and everything great in your life. **

**Speaking of that, I'm thankful to have so many wonderful readers who encourage me to write and leave me great reviews. Please, keep 'em coming!**

**If you're not American, I hope you had a great day yesterday and you spent it with those you love. Maybe someday you could come here and we'll happily show you what a Thanksgiving dinner is all about. You have to like turkey and mashed potatoes, though. **

**Keep reviewing and reading! Go out and get those Black Friday deals!**


	6. Target Practice

I wake up to an empty bed, instantly putting a frown on my face. I sit up and the sheets fall off my body, revealing my still nude body. I smile, remembering last night.

I reach over the side of the bed and find Peeta's t-shirt. I slip it on over my head. At least I'm partially covered now.

Peeta's in the twins' bedroom. I can hear him cooing softly, probably feeding and/or changing them. I kind of wish he'd woken me, but I'm aware he needs his own time with them. I have a special connection with our children – after all, I did carry them for nine months then feed them from my own breast. It's important for them to get to know their father as well, and I know he cherishes his time with them, so I lay back and wait.

He doesn't keep me waiting long. A few minutes later the door slowly creaks open and my family appears. Peeta's there with a baby on each of his shoulders, all three of them smiling wide at me. I smile back involuntarily. How could I not?

"Morning, mommy," Peeta says softly.

"Good morning babies," I reply, addressing all of them. "Come here, I need to cuddle with my family."

Peeta carefully steps to the bed and I help him by taking Josh out of his arms.

"Hi baby boy," I whisper as I kiss his head. "Mommy missed you."

We all settle in and we set the twins down between us. I greet Eve.

"How is my beautiful girl this morning?" I ask quietly. She smiles at me, and it melts my heart. I lean over and kiss her all over, and she giggles like the baby she is.

I look up at Peeta and he's beaming watching me with Eve.

"What?" I ask with a grin.

"Just watching my girls," he says proudly.

I glare playfully at him and he sticks his tongue out at me. Without thinking I lean over and capture it between my lips, slipping my own tongue into his mouth. I hear him moan into me, and I moan right back. It's an excellent first kiss for the day.

"I love our family," I blurt out when we lie back down.

"I'm glad," he jokes.

"Shut up," I tell him sarcastically, "you know what I mean."

He nods.

"I do," he confirms. "You know I love our family too."

"You'd better," I scold, "_daddy_."

"I love it when you call me daddy," he smirks. I roll my eyes.

We lay there in comfortable silence for a while, Peeta and I just admiring our children. They're truly amazing. How Peeta and I could make two things so utterly perfect is beyond me. How we deserve this happiness, I'll never know, but I'm sure not going to argue it.

"Promise me this never changes," I plead after a while.

He gives me a questioning look.

"Promise you what never changes?" He asks for clarification.

"This," I reply simply. "You, me, our kids. Promise me we'll always have this no matter what."

"Kat, of course," he says, still puzzled. "What do you think's going to happen?"

"I don't know," I huff, slightly frustrated, but not at him. "Something always happens to take away my happiness. Like in the Games, when I finally thought you and I were going to make it out, they revoked the rule, and it took us threatening to kill ourselves to live. Or when my dad died, or Prim got Reaped. Or when – when – when I lied to you. Even though that last one was definitely my fault, it still happened."

"Katniss, nothing's going to happen."

"You don't know that," I whisper. "I know you mean well, Peeta, but we can't predict what's going to happen, you've told me that yourself."

"So why are you asking me to promise you?"

"Because I need to hear it. Because I need to believe that we'll do anything for us. For our kids."

"In that case, I promise you, Katniss Mellark, that this will never change. We'll always be a family and we'll always be happy. I vow with my life, baby."

"You really mean that?" I ask meekly.

He reaches over and cups my cheek gently. I place my own hand on top of his and kiss his palm.

"With my whole heart," he vows.

I smile, knowing just how big his heart is. Even though they're just words, and I know we don't know what's in store for us, it makes me feel better.

A while later we make it to breakfast, sitting with our friends again, making a habit of it. Some people ignore us while others seem in awe of us. I've gotten used to the stares, but it doesn't mean I like them. Especially the women who look at my husband with _that _look in their eyes.

At one point, Grayson and Annabel's families come over to our table. We stand up and greet them. They're overly thankful for us getting their children out of the Arena alive. We try to brush it off, of course, but they're not having any of it. They tell us if there's anything we ever need, we shouldn't hesitate to ask. They tell us how beautiful our children are, and we thank them in turn.

"Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson," I get their attention before they leave. "Peeta and I need to talk to you about something a little more serious quickly."

"What is it Katniss?" Mrs. Anderson asks.

"Well I'm sure you saw, as we all did, how Grayson and Annabel got – close – in the Games," I explain. They all nod understandingly. "Peeta and I talked to them. It seems they truly do like each other, romantically."

"We know they're young," Peeta continues, "but Katniss and I are well aware of how young love works. I've been in love with her since I was five."

"And I've loved him since I was Annabel's age," I interrupt. Peeta beams at me. "We had a long talk with them, and they understand what it all means. That if they truly do like each other, the Rebellion will probably want to use that to their advantage, especially after all of Panem saw it in the Games."

"We were a bit worried," Mrs. Mitchell admits.

"Don't be," I try to make them feel better about the whole situation. "Peeta and I are here to help. We are their mentors, after all. So if you need anything, or have any questions, or just want us to talk with them, let us know, okay?"

"Thank you, Katniss, Peeta," Mr. Anderson says sincerely. The other three adults chime in with their thanks as well.

"Also, Katniss and I asked them if they'd be willing to babysit for our children sometime, if that's okay with you," Peeta adds.

"Of course!" Mrs. Mitchell answers excitedly.

"That would be wonderful," Mrs. Anderson puts in. "They just love the twins."

"Great. Thanks," I smile.

We say goodbye and finish our meal, Johanna making the whole table laugh with her impression of Coin.

"What are we doing today honey?" I ask Peeta as we shut the door to our apartment.

He shrugs.

"Whatever we want, I guess," he grins.

"Wanna go shoot?" I suggest.

His eyes brighten.

"Definitely," he nods.

We strap the twins in their stroller, pack the diaper bag, and head out. It takes us a little bit, but eventually we find the shooting ranges.

I pull out my foldable bow, and Peeta has lugged along his bow, which is really my father's old wooden bow. We strap our quivers on our back and step up to the line, the stroller in between us.

It feels great to shoot again. We haven't since we left 12. Just having the familiar weight of my bow in my hands is soothing. Hearing the thump of the arrow hitting the target, helping Peeta make tiny adjustments, having him praise my shooting. All of it is so familiar, reminding me of all the time we spent shooting together during my pregnancy.

Eventually a small crowd gathers, watching us take turns shooting. I can hear them murmuring.

"That's the two kids who won last year's Games," I hear one 13 soldier tell his friend.

"She can really shoot," another one mumbles under his breath.

"Damn she's hot." At that one, Peeta snaps his head around and stares down the private who said it. The soldier, who can't be much older than us, tries to look tough but fails miserably, backing off almost immediately. "Sorry," he mutters before leaving the room with haste. I roll my eyes at Peeta's triumphant look.

"Just defending your honor, Kat," he smirks.

"You know I'm all yours," I tell him.

"I know," he smiles, "but that doesn't mean I like other guys talking about you like that."

"Why not? He was complimenting me, after all," I tease.

He narrows his eyes.

"You're my wife," he says territorially. I can see he's serious.

"Yes, I am," I give him a kiss on the lips, not caring who's watching. They should know I'm in love with my husband. "And your wife loves it when you defend her honor."

He smiles at that and I give him another quick peck.

"Practice with your pistol baby," I suggest, sitting down and pulling the stroller close. I pick Eve up and sit her on my lap, facing her to watch her father. "Show us how well you can shoot."

Peeta nods and turns to the targets. He hovers his hand over his holster, waiting for my signal.

"Draw," I order.

Peeta quick draws, and I'm surprised at how fast. He empties all fifteen bullets in the clip quickly, reloading automatically and re-holstering his weapon. I hear applause behind us from the soldiers who are watching. No doubt he put on a bit of a show, although I'm sure it was for me, not them.

He pushes the button to retrieve the target and brings it over, sitting next to me. He hands it to me wordlessly.

"Wow," I say in awe.

He takes Eve from my lap and plays with her.

"This is amazing, Peeta," I gush. He shrugs, playing peek-a-boo with our daughter instead.

All fifteen shots were in the center of the target, not a single one missing the bulls-eye. He really is that good. It makes me incredibly proud, not to mention making me feel very, very safe with him sleeping next to me at night.

"You're just as good," he says nonchalantly.

I open my mouth to counter, but he stops me.

"Don't try," he smiles. "You are. Face it."

"Fine," I huff, but smile nonetheless, picking Josh up. He smiles his baby smile at me, and I'm sure I've never loved my family more.

"What do you want to do now sweetie?" Peeta asks me.

"This was my only good idea," I shrug. He laughs.

"Well it's almost lunch time," he points out. "Let's just relax until lunch then we can figure out the afternoon."

I agree, and we spend the hour until lunch playing with our kids. It's perfect.

We eat lunch, again with our friends, who all argue over who gets to hold the twins. Peeta and I end up having to intervene, giving everyone five minutes with one of them.

Just before we're about to get up to leave, a soldier appears at our table, getting all our attentions.

"You're all needed in Command immediately after the meal concludes," he informs us expressionlessly. "President Coin's orders." He walks briskly away after he's finished speaking.

"Great," Johanna sarcastically sighs, "what does she want now."

We all walk together to Command, the twins in their stroller, Annie demanding to push them, letting Peeta and I walk arm in arm as close as possible. I revel in it.

Entering Command, we're apparently the last people to arrive. The rest of 13's military higher-ups are there and all turn to look at us when we walk in. It's obvious they don't know how to react to us walking in with two infants. Ha. Deal with it.

We take our seats, and I have Eve in my lap while Peeta has Josh in his. Coin enters, and I can't discern any single emotion on her face. It's like stone. Apparently that's what I used to look like. How Peeta ever fell in love with me, I'll never know.

"Thank you all for coming," Coin says, although she doesn't sound rather thankful. She just sounds pissed. "As you know, the war has begun."

Duh, I think. Is that really why we're here?

"Mr. and Mrs. Mellark filmed their first Propo yesterday," she informs the room. "They decided to speak in their own words. I can't say I agree, but it's what happened." She looks over at me and we end up staring one another down. I refuse to look away, as does she. I don't care how pissed she is, if Peeta and I are going to make propaganda, we're doing it with our own words, not someone else's. Also, why is she still calling us 'Mr. and Mrs.', when we're both Colonels in _her _army? Not that I don't like being called Mrs. Mellark, but it is curious.

"We felt it would resonate better if we spoke from our hearts," Peeta interjects, breaking the tension. "I hope that's not a problem."

"We'll have to see, Mr. Mellark," she answers sternly. "Anyways, we began forcibly airing that Propo to the Districts last night."

"And?" I prompt. I get glares from most of the officers. I brush them off, not caring.

"The Capitol, as we predicted, is furious," Coin tells us. "The defection of their Victors is a huge blow to them. You were their biggest celebrities, and you just went on air telling the entire country to rise up against them."

I smile at Peeta, thinking about how he and I can affect real change in Panem. It is amazing to me. We're just two kids who wanted to stay alive and love each other, now we're the face of an entire revolution.

"Well, the Capitol won't remain silent or still for long," Coin continues.

"What does that mean?" I ask.

She sighs.

"That means, Mrs. Mellark, that hovercrafts are on their way right now to bomb District 12."

**A/N: UH OH! The Capitol's not happy with the Mellarks! They're taking it our on their home! What will happen? We'll have to wait and find out, I guess. **

**Shorter chapter today, I know, but I wanted to get something out, so I left it on a cliffhanger. Sorry! But, you guys know me, and I won't make you wait long for the next chapter. **

**Thanks go out to everyone who reads and reviews. I truly do appreciate it. It's still amazing to me how a story I originally wrote as a one-shot has now turned into two stories and probably will eventually become a trilogy. It's all because of you, the readers. If nobody read or reviewed, I never would've written a second chapter of 'It Was A Lie'. I'm happy I did, because now look where we are. **

**PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! It's what Katniss and Peeta would want you to do! The more reviews I get, the faster I write, honestly! I hate begging, but sometimes it works. **

**Keep reviewing and reading. Have a great Saturday night!**


	7. When Katniss Fell For Peeta

_Previously on 'The Truth Revealed':_

"_Well, the Capitol won't remain silent or still for long," Coin continues._

"_What does that mean?" I ask. _

_She sighs. _

"_That means, Mrs. Mellark, that hovercrafts are on their way right now to bomb District 12."_

The room goes completely silent. You could hear a mouse. Inevitably, most of the heads turn to Peeta and myself, awaiting our response. We've just been told the Capitol is going to target our home.

I open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out, not even a sound. Finally, I hear Peeta speak in a low, commanding voice.

"What are we doing about it?"

It's exactly what I wanted to ask. I squeeze his hand even harder.

"We've already dispatched a fleet to evacuate," Coin responds evenly. "We've alerted the District and they are gathering in anticipation."

"How many can we save?" One of her generals asks.

"Hopefully over ninety percent," is the answer.

"That's not good enough," I interject. Coin glares at me. I don't care. "We need to save everyone."

"We'll do our best, Mrs. Mellark," she tries.

"I don't want your best. I want everyone in my District to be alive," I retort.

"Kat," Peeta soothes, trying to reign my in. Momentarily I'm about to snap at him but stop myself. He's just trying to help, and his touch does. I calm down.

"Fine," I relent. "Please save as many as you can."

"Now, even if we evacuate, the Capitol will likely continue with their bombing run," Coin continues.

"So?" I ask. "We can always rebuild. We can't bring lives back."

"I wasn't asking your opinion. I was speaking in military terms." She turns back to the room, effectively ignoring me. Bitch. "I propose we attempt to take out as many of their crafts as possible."

The officers all voice their agreement, and they start delving into battle plans. I tune them out, not really caring at this point. All I care about now is saving as many people as possible.

"Very well," Coin says about ten minutes later. "Our fleet should arrive within the hour, and the Capitol's in four. Dismissed."

We shuffle out of the room, and I'm still shaken by the news. So many people are still there. Friends of Peeta and me. The mayor, who married us. Kids we grew up with.

"They're going to do their best," Peeta softly tells me as we walk back to our room.

I just nod numbly, hearing him but not processing.

He sighs beside me, and I suddenly realize what I've been doing. I've ignored my husband ever since Coin uttered those words. They're his friends too, people he's known all his life. He's feeling the same things I am, and he's stuck trying to bring me back. I feel terrible. Guilty. Horrible.

"I'm sorry," I mumble, emotions building up.

Peeta stops dead and turns to me, gathering me up in his arms.

"I'm so sorry," I repeat. "I've been so cold to you since we found out."

"Shhh, it's okay Katniss," he whispers into my hair.

"No it's not!" I yell into his chest. It's almost verbatim our exchange the night I admitted I'd lied to him. Go figure.

"Kat, what did we talk about? We can't predict the future. What happens will happen. They'll save as many as they can, and all we can do is help however we can, okay?"

"Okay," I sob, my face still buried in his chest. I could care less we're in the middle of a busy hallway.

"Come on, let's go lie down baby," he suggests.

I nod, nothing sounding better to me right now.

He leads me back to our room and all four of us lie down on our bed. We snuggle close, and I can hear the twins' heartbeats. I stare deeply into Peeta's eyes, his look of love almost overwhelming my senses.

"I know," he whispers.

And he does. He knows exactly what I'm thinking, what I'm feeling. We don't need to talk about it, because we both already know.

Slowly we drift off to sleep.

I wake to frantic banging on our front door. Cracking my eyes open, I see Peeta still deep in sleep. Great, so it's up to me to answer the door, as usual. At least I'm clothed.

It's Haymitch.

"What is it?" I ask, rubbing my sleepy eyes.

"The hovercrafts from 12 just got here," he informs me solemnly. I immediately wake fully.

"How many?" I ask simply.

"Almost everyone," he tells me.

I nod, letting out a breath.

"Let me go get Peeta and the twins."

I rouse my family and get them going. We invite Haymitch in and he takes a seat on the couch while Peeta and I give the twins' a bottle each.

"Well?" Peeta prompts.

"They saved almost everybody," Haymitch relays to us. "A few people couldn't be persuaded to leave and there just wasn't time for a few others."

"Who?" I ask impatiently.

"Nobody you know personally," he shrugs. He pre-empts my next question. "None of them survived the Captiol's bombs."

It doesn't matter. They still lived in my District. They will still be honored. Peeta, as if reading my mind, speaks up next.

"So? They were still our neighbors. We have to do something for them."

I nod my agreement. Haymitch looks distressed, but he ultimately knows we're right.

"How bad was the bombing?" Is my next query.

"The Seam is in ruins," he says simply. It doesn't affect me as much as I thought it would. Our house in the Village is my home now.

"What about our houses?" Peeta asks.

"They left Victor's Village alone."

Well, at least our home is still standing.

"The bakery's gone, with the rest of the town."

My breath hitches and I immediately turn to Peeta, grasping his hand tight. He grew up in that bakery. It may hold bad memories as well as good, but it was still his childhood home, and where he learned how to bake. Where he saved my life.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, leaning over to kiss his cheek lovingly.

"Thanks," he mutters. I can't tell how he's feeling just yet. His eyes are closed as he processes the new information.

"Are you okay?" I ask him after a few more moments.

"Yeah," he answers unconvincingly. I frown at him. "I will be, at least," he defends.

"We can rebuild it," I try to suggest.

"Maybe. But we still have to win this war."

I know he's right, but it still makes me so incredibly sad for my husband. I know, if we have the chance, I'll do anything to help him rebuild after we've won this damn war.

"Kid's right, sweetheart," Haymitch interrupts my thoughts. I instinctually scowl at him and he just waves me off like always. "We can't worry about that now."

"Fine," I huff. "What now?"

"Now, we try to help the citizens of 12 adjust to life in 13," Haymitch explains. "Since you two are 12's most famous kids, you've been elected to help," he grins.

"Good," Peeta speaks for us. I actually agree with him. It will be good for all of us.

"So let's go. They're waiting."

We strap the twins in their stroller and push them along as we follow Haymitch to one of the huge loading bays, identical to the one we entered through a couple days ago. That already feels like it was an entire lifetime ago.

When we arrive, I'm spellbound. It looks like the entire District is standing there, with whatever possessions they could grab on their backs and in their arms, looking up at the three of us with hope on their faces. Can we give them hope?

There's a single microphone waiting for us on the raised platform Haymitch leads us to.

Thankfully, Peeta knows me well, and steps up to it first.

"Welcome to District 13," he gives them a fairly strained smile. "I know you all know us, so we'll skip the intros." There's a few laughs at that. "We all lament what has happened to our District. But the blame lies solely with Snow and the Capitol. Katniss, Haymitch and I are so happy to see all of you here, alive and well. We sincerely hope that your stay here isn't too long, and we can get back home soon."

There's applause and I'm happy Peeta is so good with words, yet again.

Haymitch steps up to the microphone as Peeta returns to my side, giving a boring speech about protocols and living arrangements, introducing them to the rigid life of District 13. I'm once again ridiculously happy that Peeta got us out of all that crap.

While Haymitch drones on, I look around the crowd. I spot Delly and Madge, and we smile at each other. I see Mayor Undersee as well, standing proudly front and center.

Scanning through the crowd, my eyes find someone I'd be glad to never see again.

Scarlet Johnston. And she's smirking at me, like she always does, with that hateful glint in her eyes, her three minions dutifully at her side. While I'm glaring at her, she very obviously turns her eyes to Peeta and rakes them over his body in an inappropriate, uncomfortable fashion. Peeta, to his credit, doesn't notice as he's entertaining our children.

Then, a few rows of people behind Scarlet, my eyes find Sarah Jacobsen. Great, so they both made it. I know, how could I wish death upon someone? But I really, really hate those two.

Sarah is actively averting my gaze, and I'm glad for it. Maybe when I kicked her ass and broke her finger she finally got the idea. I hope she avoids my family while she's here, or else I won't be so kind the next time around.

Finally, Haymitch is done. He steps back and turns to me, motioning me to step up and speak. I reallllllllly don't want to. It's when I feel Peeta's gentle touch on the small of my back that I finally do walk to the microphone.

"Like my husband," I smile wide at Scarlet, "said, we're very happy to see everyone. If any of you have any questions or need anything, please don't hesitate to seek out one of us. We're here for you. I know this isn't ideal, nor is it pleasant, but they're the cards we've been dealt. And if there's one thing I know about people from our District, it's how resilient we are. So let's show the Capitol that they can never take our spirit from us."

By the end, they're cheering for me. Loudly. Peeta appears at my side and kisses my cheek, then whispers in my ear.

"How did you ever think you weren't good with words?"

I turn to playfully scowl at him, and he just sneaks a kiss on the lips. They cheer even louder, causing me to blush deeply.

That's when I notice the cameras. Of course. They filmed this. I wouldn't be surprised if they aired it within the hour.

Everyone starts lining up for their induction to the District, and our role is done for now, according to Haymitch.

Eventually, we find ourselves back in our room, Finnick and Annie playing with the twins while I sit quietly on the edge of our bed with Peeta's head in my lap. I'm slowly playing with his curls, his eyes closed, but I know he's awake by his breathing.

"What are you thinking about?" I quietly ask.

"The bakery," he answers, equally as quiet. I figured.

"I'm sorry, honey," I whisper and lean down to kiss his lips. He opens his eyes when we part.

"It's okay," he says, but I know it's not.

"Peeta, it's okay for you to mourn, you know. You grew up there. I'm sure you have a lot of memories there."

"Good and bad," he takes the words right out of my mouth. I nod knowingly.

"You saved my life right outside," I remind. We smile at the memory. "Took a beating for a girl you didn't even know."

"I might've not 'known' you, but I sure loved you."

"I'm pretty sure that's when I started falling in love with you, Peeta."

"Really? I mean, I've heard you say that, but really?"

I nod with a small, happy smile. His eyes light up considerably.

"Tell me," he pleads.

Nothing would make me happier, so I do.

"I was hungry. As hungry as I can ever remember being. I thought maybe I could get something for Prim's old baby clothes, but nobody wanted them. Big surprise there, I guess. I finally resorted to rooting around in the trash looking for any old scraps. That's where your mom found me, and she angrily shooed me away screaming at me."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there."

"Shut up," I grin. "You were, Peeta. Because after she ran me away, I slid down next to that tree, too tired to go on. Then I heard all kinds of yelling from inside the bakery. Then the door opened and this little blond haired, blue-eyed boy came out with two burnt loaves in his arms. Then you know what he did?"

"What?" Peeta asks, even though we both know.

"He threw them to me. His mom told them to give them to the pigs, but he gave them to me, knowing full well what the repercussions would be if his mother found out. But this boy didn't care, because he had such a wonderful heart. The moment he threw me that bread, I started to love him. I knew he'd never give up on me, never let anything happen to me if he could help it."

"You knew that then?"

"Yes," I nod. "Deep down, I knew. But then I was so scared. So scared to talk to you, to thank you. I let it go on so long that the next time we really interacted was when we got Reaped. And I'll never forgive myself."

"What? Why?"

"I think sometimes, if I had thanked you, maybe we'd have fallen in love earlier. We could have had years together, Peeta, before the Games. I just – I can't help wondering what if."

He surprises me with his answer.

"Me too," he admits. "I've wondered what would've happened if we'd talked, gotten to know each other, earlier."

"I know I'd be married to you, that's for sure," I smirk.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yep," I say confidently. "I have no doubt my destiny was always to be Mrs. Mellark. No doubt at all."

He beams at that, and I lean down to kiss him again, then whisper against his lips.

"I love you."

"I love you too," he whispers back, capturing my lips once more.

His eyes dart towards the open door to the living room, then back to me. He has a shy, nervous look on his face.

"What is it baby?" I ask gently.

"Nothing," he replies quickly. Too quickly.

"Don't you dare lie to me, Peeta Mellark," I warn.

"I just – I really want to make love to you right now," he says, barely audible to me.

"R – r – really?" I stutter.

He nods sheepishly.

"Annie?" I call out loudly. She appears after a moment in the door.

"What's up Katniss?"

"Can you take the twins over to your place for a while? The diaper bag's all packed," I point to it in the living room.

"Sure. Why?"

I can't help but blush and avert my eyes, instead looking down at Peeta. Of course, that's more than enough for Annie to clue in.

"Got it. Mommy and daddy need some alone time. Come get them whenever. We have no plans today."

"Thanks, Annie," I thank her quietly.

She shuts the door and after a couple minutes I hear them leave with the kids.

"Kat, why'd you have Annie and Finnick take them? We could've just put them down," Peeta asks, confounded.

"I don't want to worry about being too loud," I admit shyly. His eyes widen and then darken in lust. "And I was thinking we could christen the kitchen."

"Oh my god," he mutters happily.

"So is that a yes?" I ask.

He nods enthusiastically.

We spend our day wrapped around each other, exactly where both of us want to be. We almost break the kitchen counter, but neither of us care. We laugh about it as I just hoist myself up around him and we move to the living room. We even end up on the bathroom floor, Peeta carefully laying a towel down under me. He's always thinking about me first and foremost.

We do eventually get Josh and Eve back from Finnick and Annie's. I can tell neither of them really wants us to take them back to our room, but they are our children after all, I jokingly tell them.

I lie down while Peeta puts the twins down. I flip the baby monitor on, and I can hear him softly talking to them. I listen in closely.

"Your mom told me a story today. She told me about when she says she started to fall in love with me. Do you guys have any idea how much I love your mom? I can't even begin to tell you. It's a different sort of love than how we love you two. You're my, our, children. We would do anything for you. We'd give our lives happily if it meant your safety."

I can't help but agree with him there. Peeta and I would gladly die for our kids, and one another.

"But we don't want that to happen," he goes on. "We love you so much. We want to watch you grow up. I'm going to teach you how to bake. I'll show you how to make cheese buns. They're your mommy's favorites. She'll teach you how to hunt. We'll both teach you how to swim. One day I'll even show you how to paint. I'll give you both a brush just like my dad gave me."

He pauses for a moment, and I feel the tears sliding down my cheeks. I didn't even notice I'd begun quietly crying. It's just so emotional to hear his beautiful words to our children.

"But back to what I was saying. About how me and your mom love you. I don't want either of you to ever doubt that we do, in fact, love you more than anything. Maybe we'll argue or get mad, but that's just part of growing up. Just remember that no matter what, your mom and I will always, always love you more than anything. Okay?"

I find myself nodding along.

"Now go to sleep, my beautiful babies. Mommy and I will be right here when you wake up. We love you, we love you so much. Goodnight."

I hear him tucking them in and gently kissing them, then the door clicking shut. I can't even move before he appears at the end of the bed.

He sees my tear-laden face, then glances over at the nightstand to the baby monitor, showing the red light that signals it's on.

"You heard that?" He easily deduces. I nod, wiping my cheeks.

He just smiles as he crawls into bed and wraps me up in his warm embrace.

"You're not mad?" I ask.

"Of course not," he shakes his head like I'm nuts. "Why would I be?"

"That was your time with them," I point out.

"Kat, they're _our_ kids. I don't care if you listen in. Honestly."

"You spoke beautifully," I tell him, turning in his arms to see him better. He smiles down at me and kisses the top of my head.

"Thanks. I was just speaking from the heart."

"Well you have a beautiful heart." I place my hand right on top of it, feeling its steady beats.

"So do you, Katniss," he whispers. "Let's go to sleep baby."

"Okay."

We settle in and he lies on his back while I put my head in his chest like I do every night. I feel his arms tighten their hold on me and I sigh happily.

"Peeta?" I call just before I slip under into slumber.

"Hmm?" He mumbles.

"I love you."

He smiles.

"I love you too."

It never gets old, no matter how many times we tell each other.

**A/N: So they managed to save almost everyone. How will 12's citizens adjust to life in 13? Do they blame the Mellarks (especially their Propo) for what happened? Will the arrival of certain people cause friction? Stay tuned to find out. **

**Come on, let's get to 100 reviews! We only need…..FOURTEEN more (at the time of this posting). PLEASE! I'm begging you. Let's have this story have even more reviews than it's prequel. That would be freaking awesome. **

**Thanks to all the readers and reviewers. You're the reason I write. **

**Have a great Sunday night! Go G-Men! Beat the Pack!**

**Keep reviewing and reading. **


	8. Rut Ro

I hate making Propos.

This is only the second one we've filmed (excluding our speeches to the newly arrived citizens of 12), and I'm already almost to my breaking point.

After we ignored the script our first time around, Coin tried to make sure we'd follow her precious script this time. Neither Peeta nor I want to, considering it doesn't seem very inspired and praises Coin. Who we both dislike. A lot.

"Mrs. Mellark, the President made it clear you were to stay on script," Plutarch tells me for the hundredth time today.

"I don't care," I huff back.

Plutarch opens his mouth to respond but doesn't end up saying anything. Peeta's standing next to me holding my hand but he too is silent.

"It'll never work if we say what you want," Peeta tries to reason after a few moments. "I thought you wanted to win this war?"

"Of course," Plutarch looks genuinely offended. "But she is the President."

"She's not my President," I mutter under my breath. Plutarch doesn't hear it, but Peeta obviously does by the squeeze of my hand.

"Plutarch, I'm pretty sure the only way you're getting a Propo out of us today is to let us say what we want," Peeta speaks for both of us. I was thinking along the same exact lines.

Plutarch slowly shakes his head back and forth dejectedly.

"You have to tell the President it was all your idea," he supplies. "I won't be responsible, okay?"

"Okay," we say in unison.

We're in our uniforms again, projecting an image of a rebel. I understand fully that technically we're committing 'treason', but I honestly don't care. Snow and the Capitol can rot in hell as far as I'm concerned.

After a few minutes, Plutarch finally gets the cameras rolling, and we begin to film.

"Hello again, citizens of Panem," Peeta begins, "since the last time we spoke with you, much has happened."

"The Capitol sent a fleet to level our home, District 12," I continue. "They succeeded in turning much of the District to rubble, but we were able to save the vast majority of citizens before that happened."

"They have joined us here, and are safe and well," Peeta says confidently. "We welcome anyone from any District, and even the Capitol, to join us if you are willing to fight for our cause."

"We need your help," I plead. "We asked last time, and we're asking again. We need your help, Panem, to overthrow the evil regime that rules over us with an iron fist."

"My wife is right. The more people we have fighting against the Capitol, the greater our chances of winning are. We understand how – intimidating – the Capitol can be, but by letting yourself think that, you're letting them win."

"That's exactly what they want you to think," I point out. "They want you to fear them so deeply that even the thought of fighting them terrifies you. You can not allow the Capitol to hold you hostage. Join us, fight with us, and we will create a better, brighter future for our children."

"Thank you for listening. We hope to see many of you soon."

"CUT!" Plutarch yells. "Good job, Mr. and Mrs. Mellark."

"Thanks," we reply in unison.

"Let's get out of here," Peeta whispers in my ear. I nod and he takes my hand, leading me out. Finnick and Annie are watching the twins at their apartment.

Walking through the halls, we see many people from 12 that we know. They all greet us cordially. I can tell some are wary of us, and I think it's because they believe our Propo might have helped cause the bombing.

We arrive back in our hallway, and get the twins back from the O'Dairs. We take them into our room, change and feed them, and put them down for a nap.

Peeta and I end up standing in the doorway for a long time, both of us blissfully silent, watching our sleeping children. We could do this for days if nobody stopped us.

Soon it's time for lunch, so Prim comes over to babysit while Peeta and I head to the cafeteria.

We get our trays and find seats with our friends.

Finnick and Johanna are in the middle of some inane argument about god knows what, while everyone just looks in in amusement. They all stop when they see us sit down, and greet us.

"Where are the mini loaves?" Johanna asks.

"Prim's babysitting," I answer.

She actually looks sad they're not here.

"Wait – don't tell me – no, it can't be!" I say sarcastically.

"What?" She asks.

"You love our children, Johanna Mason. Admit it."

Her eyes widen like she got caught with her hand in the proverbial cookie jar.

"Shut up, Mellark," she mutters.

"What was that?" I tease. She glares at me.

"I said, shut up."

"Oh calm down Jo, it's not a bad thing," I smile.

"Whatever," she crosses her arms and frowns. We all burst out laughing and she gets even angrier.

"How was the Propo?" Annie asks, changing the topic. Jo looks relieved.

"Eh," I shrug.

"Coin wanted us to say a bunch of crap," Peeta elaborates. "We, of course, refused and said what we wanted."

"You'd better watch out kids," Haymitch pipes up. "You don't want to get on Coin's bad side."

"I think we accomplished that with all our demands," I retort.

"Good point," Haymitch nods solemnly.

When lunch is finished, Peeta and I walk back to our rooms. We're in a rather plain hallway that looks like every other hallway in this damn bunker when we see her.

Sarah Jacobsen. And she's walking right at us.

I nudge Peeta and he sees her. His eyes narrow and I can feel his anger rising. I rub my thumb to help him calm down. That's usually his job.

Sarah looks up and we make eye contact. I can easily see that she fears me from our last encounter. She ducks her head as she shuffles past, not even glancing at Peeta. Good.

"What was that all about?" Peeta asks once she's gone.

"What was what all about?"

"That little silent exchange you two just had."

"Just letting her know I'll happily kick her ass again," I shrug.

Peeta just smiles and shakes his head in mild disbelief as we continue walking.

I just hope we don't run into Scarlet. Or anybody who's tried stealing my husband away. Like the next person we happen upon.

Delly Cartwright.

Okay, granted, Peeta and I weren't even talking when she made a move on him, but still. And she still owes me a damn good explanation about some of the things she said about me to him."

"Peeta?" I ask quietly.

"Hmm?"

"Head back to the room. I need to talk to Delly."

"Okay." He gives me a peck on the lips and he walks on.

I step directly in Delly's path, forcing her to stop and look at me.

"Hi, Katniss," she greets.

"Delly," I nod. "Let's go somewhere private. I need to talk to you."

"Um, okay. We can go to my room. It's right around the corner."

"Sure. Lead the way."

Her place isn't half bad. We sit on the couch and she waits for me to begin. I don't waste time. I get right to the point.

"How come you've never told me about what went down with you and Peeta?"

"What do you mean?" She asks nervously.

I sigh.

"The night you went to his house to see him."

"Oh." Her eyes go wide as saucers and I see her hands fidgeting in her lap.

"Yeah. Oh. Why did you never tell me you had a crush on my husband? Or that you made a move on him?"

"I didn't think it mattered," she says honestly. "He chose you."

"It matters."

"Well I'm sorry," she apologizes. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble."

"You didn't. I just wish I didn't have to find out about it from my husband almost ten months after the fact."

"Peeta told you?" She asks incredulously.

"Of course he told me. We have no secrets between us."

"I tried to kiss him," she blurts out.

"I know."

"He didn't want me, Katniss. He was in love with you."

"I know that too."

"I don't have any feelings for him anymore, if that's what you want to know."

"I don't know, Delly. I want to believe you, but you kept this from me while you even helped me with my pregnancy."

She nods sadly.

"There's also some things you said to him that I want to talk to you about," I continue.

"What things?"

"Did you really tell him he'd be better off with you because you're from Town and I'm from the Seam?"

She stares at her feet, unwilling to look me in the eyes.

"Yes," I hear her whisper almost inaudibly.

I sigh and run my hand through my hair and down my braid. I wish it as Peeta touching me.

"That pisses me off," I tell her.

She nods meekly.

"I'm so sorry, Katniss. It's just – he was so depressed. I wanted to help cheer him up, but when we got to talking, I guess my feelings for him returned. But he made it very clear that he was in love with you, no matter what."

I smile a little at her last sentence.

"He does love you," she goes on. "Like, really, truly, loves you. He'd do anything for you and your kids."

"I know," it's my turn to whisper meekly.

"Just don't hurt him, Katniss. He's – well – he's special."

"You don't have to tell me that. I would never hurt him if I could help it."

"Good."

"You know, that was the same night I went over and told him the truth," I explain.

"Really?"

"Yup," I nod. "Apparently I showed up about an hour after you left."

"Katniss, I had no idea –"

"It's okay," I interrupt. "Actually think it helped, because when I did show up, he maybe had sorted out some of his feelings. He almost kissed you, but didn't because he loved, loves, me."

She nods in understanding.

"So are we okay?" She asks nervously.

"Yeah, we're okay," I finally smile. "Just don't make a move on my husband, okay?" I say half sarcastically.

"Oh I would never, you're married and you have kids!" She exclaims, mortified. "I just hope I can have that happiness one day. I admit, as a kid, I dreamed of marrying Peeta, but apparently you owned his heart for a long time."

"Since we were five, according to him."

"You two are made for each other. Really. I mean that. I hope we can still be friends, Katniss, because you are one of my good friends, as is Peeta, and I absolutely love your children," she begs.

"Of course we'll still friends," I smile. "We'll help you find your man, Delly. There's gotta be some guy around here worthy of you."

"Really? You'd do that for me?"

"Duh. Isn't that what friends do? Help each other out?"

"Thank you Katniss. You have no idea how sorry I am about all that, and how thrilled I am at being yours and Peeta's friend."

"It's fine," I shrug. "It's like Peeta always tells me, everyone deserves a second chance. Just don't screw it up," I grin.

"Promise," she nods.

"Good. So, how do you like 13 so far?" I change the subject.

"It's okay," she shrugs. "Rigid, plain and boring, but okay. It's better than dying back at home."

"That's for sure. Well, they're our best shot and getting rid of the Games, and that's my number one priority in this war. I never want my children to ever attend a Reaping."

"They won't," she says confidently. "I'll do anything I can to help, Katniss. Anything at all."

"That's good to know."

"Are you really a Colonel?" She asks randomly, staring at the rank on my chest.

"Yeah, Peeta is too," I smirk. "All the rebel Victors received officer's commissions."

"So you'll fight?"

I shake my head vehemently.

"No. Peeta and I made a deal with President Coin that instead of the two of us going into any kind of combat, or even leaving 13 without our full consent, we'd be the spokespeople, or symbols, of the Rebellion. That's why you saw us in that Propo."

"Oh. That's great. You don't have to leave your children."

"Exactly. When we found out about the Rebellion, I was already around five months along. Peeta and I decided fairly quickly that our first and only priority was to our family. We want to grow old together, have more children, and we can't do that if we're dead."

"That's amazing," she says in awe. "Apparently they have some kind of job for me here, so I doubt I'll see combat either."

"Good. You can come babysit," I tease.

"I'd be glad to," she smiles.

"You know Scarlet Johnston?" I ask. She nods. "And Sarah Jacobsen?" She nods again. "Well they both made it out and they're here. We saw Sarah right before we bumped into you, and I think she understands now. But Scarlet, she's a different story. I know she's going to keep trying to get Peeta away from me."

"That bitch," she says angrily.

"Yeah she's a bitch alright," I agree. "We have to keep her away from Peeta."

"Got it."

"Thanks."

"Of course."

"Well, I should be getting back to my family," I say, looking at my watch. "But I'm glad we talked, because you are one of my best friends Delly. I'd hate to lose our friendship over something that stupid that happened before Peeta and I were even dating."

"I'm glad we talked to," she echoes. "And even gladder than we're still friends."

We smile at each other and lean in for a gently, girly hug. I would never be seen doing this a year ago, but it's been an – eventful, to say the least – year.

Back in our room, I find Peeta playing with the twins on the floor. He either didn't hear me come in or he's just ignoring me, but he doesn't look my way. So I stand there and watch my family playing.

The twins both have huge, irresistibly adorable smiles on their faces. Their eyes are so inquisitive as Peeta explains things to them slowly, showing them different things, even though it always devolves into a mess of tickles and laughter.

He's so incredibly wonderful with our children. It makes me so utterly happy that I gave him this joy. That I gave us this joy, I correct myself. Josh and Eve are the lights of our lives, the reason we're fighting this war.

"Hey," Peeta calls out, breaking my train of thought. "What did you and Delly talk about?"

"Girl stuff," I grin. He cocks his head to one side. "I talked to her about that night she came over," I admit.

"Oh," his eyes widen.

"Don't worry Peeta it's fine. We worked everything out. She's still one of my best friends and I trust her now more than ever. I just didn't like that it took you telling me, almost a year after it happened."

"Sorry," he looks down at the floor.

I plop down in front of him, wrapping the nearest baby, which happens to be Eve, in my arms. I reach out and gently grasp his chin with two fingers, forcing him to look at me.

"I'm not mad," I reassure him. "Really, I'm not. Nothing happened for me to get mad about anyways. You had every right to talk to other girls, especially after the way I treated you. And don't you dare start on the 'I betrayed you' speech. It's not going to work, Peeta."

He just nods. I lean in and sweetly kiss him, then give the tip of his nose a kiss. I pull back smiling, and he is too.

"We also talked to about those two bitches, Scarlet and Sarah," I go on. "She promised to help us. I think Sarah got the message, but if I know Scarlet, she'll still be after you."

He sighs.

"Ugh. Why won't she just quit?" He asks nobody in particular.

"Who knows," I shrug. "But if she even talks to you, I'm not going to be nearly as nice as the last time when I punched her in the face."

"I remember that," he smirks.

I roll my eyes.

"So what are we doing this afternoon?" I ask.

"Nothing planned," he answers.

"Good," I smile. "We can spend time as a family then."

So that's what we do. We spend time, the four of us, just playing nonsense games and having a wonderful time being a family.

Ever once in a while Peeta's and my gazes meet and we both look so happy. Our smiles reach our eyes, causing his to take on a vibrant, clear blue.

"I hope Coin doesn't get too angry about the Propo," I say after a while.

"She probably will," Peeta replies. "But she can't do anything about it now. They need us, Kat. We hold the power."

"I know. But she already probably hates us and we ignored her script for a second time. I can't imagine her taking it well."

"She is a very – crass – person," Peeta observes.

"Crass is putting it lightly," we both laugh.

Dinner time rolls around soon enough, and we bring the twins in their strollers. Out of everyone at our table, Johanna is obviously the happiest to see them, almost immediately reaching own and pulling Josh out and into her arms.

"Ha," I point at her, saying 'I told you so' without actually saying it. She scowls at me and I scowl right back while the rest of the table looks on in amusement.

As we're cleaning up our trays and the table, a soldier appears.

"Mr. and Mrs. Mellark?" He asks.

"Yes," Peeta answers.

"The President requests your presence immediately in Command," he informs us.

"Shit," I mumble so no one can hear it. Of course, Peeta does.

We dutifully follow the soldier, with the twins in the stroller, through the mazes of hallways that lead to Command. He leaves us once we're at the door.

Peeta holds the door open for me, allowing me to push the stroller through. Once we're both through, I look up. It's just President Coin and us in the large room.

"Mr. and Mrs. Mellark, please have a seat," she says without any discernable emotion.

We sit down and anxiously await her to speak again.

"I have watched the Propo from this morning, and I'm not pleased. You had explicit instructions to go by the script we provided, but you again decided to disregard our cues."

"It works better if we speak from our hearts," Peeta tries to explain, but she's not having it.

"You two agreed to be our spokespeople, and if you can not do that job sufficiently, I'll have no choice but to revoke the deal we made."

My heart almost stops. She's really threatening us now. She'd rip up our deal and send us into combat.

"It won't happen again," Peeta assures her.

"It better not," she snaps. "Now, we have some other things to discuss."

"Like what?" I ask, already tired of being in this wretched woman's presence.

"It seems that a number of people who we rescued from 12 wish to train to become soldiers in order to fight. We need the two of you to teach some classes."

"Okay," I nod. "What kind of classes?"

"Archery, of course. Camo, survival skills, knife skills, things of that nature. Do you agree?"

We both nod.

"Good. You first class starts in ten minutes. Level B56."

We're dismissed and we find an elevator. We arrive at the correct level and find our new 'students' waiting for us.

As Peeta and I, along with the twins, take our places in the front of the small crowd, I scan the faces and am happy to see friends among the volunteers. But then I see two people that make my blood boil.

Scarlet's here. With a giant smirk on her face as she again eyes my husband.

The other person surprises me completely. It's Francis Burton. He's here. And I have to teach him.

**A/N: Oh no ! Scarlet and Francis are both in the Mellark's class? Drama coming! **

**Keep reviewing and reading. Love you all. **


	9. Reminders, Reminders

"Crap," I mutter under my breath.

Apparently, Peeta hears me, because he takes my hand in his and gently squeezes. Once again, he reads my mind perfectly as he takes the lead.

"Hello everyone, my name is Peeta Mellark, and I'll be one of your teachers." Another gentle squeeze tells me it's my turn.

"And I'm Katniss Mellark," I manage.

"You're all here because you've volunteered, so first, thank you. We'll be going over a variety of topics in this class from archery to survival skills."

People nod their heads as they listen, but I'm zoned out, only thinking about how the hell I'm going to deal with this now.

"The first thing we'll do is assess everyone's skill levels," Peeta announces. It's a good plan. "Katniss will be at the archery station and I'll be at the hand-to-hand combat station, then we'll move on to other disciplines."

The group divides up and I head over to the archery station. I bring the twins with me because it'll be much easier for me to keep an eye on them than Peeta.

The first couple people have obviously never picked up a bow before. We have our work cut out for us. But, I did teach Peeta while I was pregnant, so I'm sure I can succeed.

As more and more people show me their skills, I realize almost none of them have any experience. That's fine, it's why Peeta and I are here.

Then, it's Francis' turn. He walks up confidently, smirking at me, and picks up the sleek, silver bow. He has a smug smile on his face as he knocks an arrow.

He looses the arrow and it flies towards the target. It misses completely. I can't help but snicker at his failure.

"I'm just rusty," he tries to tell me. I roll my eyes.

He knocks another arrow and lets it fly, and this one hits the outer most ring of the target. Prim can shoot better than that.

"You suck," I say quietly. He hears me.

"Then you'll just have to spend more time teaching me," he retorts.

"Peeta's going to teach you archery," I shoot back triumphantly.

He can't really argue, considering I'm in charge, so he skulks off.

Then, after a couple more people, Scarlet shows up at the shooting line.

"I don't need to do this," she states.

"Yes, you do," I tell her. "Shoot one arrow."

"Fine," she huffs. She picks up the bow and looks at it curiously. Townie girls.

The 'arrow' she 'shoots' falls limply off the bow. I shake my head.

"You have to learn this if you want to fight," I try to tell her.

"I'm only here because they said Peeta was teaching," she says without looking at me. My eyes widen. She's still at it, all right.

"I'll be teaching you, Scarlet," I find myself suddenly saying. And I will.

"No you won't!"

"Shut up. I'm the teacher, and I will teach you how to shoot a bow."

"Well I'm going over to Peeta's station now," she tries to rattle me. It doesn't work.

"Peeta?" I call out. He's in the middle of grappling one of the stronger boys, and stops when he hears me.

"Yeah honey?" He calls back.

The entire room comes to a standstill as Peeta and I converse across it.

"Switch with me? I need to get some exercise."

"Sure," he smiles as he walks over to me. Scarlet's still standing not three feet away, steaming mad.

Peeta walks up and immediately gives me a chaste kiss on the lips, knowing we have a large audience. I savor it. Then, the wonderful dad he is, he leans down and kisses our children on their heads and gives them cute greetings.

"Come on Scarlet," I slap her on the back forcefully, "show me what you can do."

She's still in a state of shock as we make our way to the mats. I walk out to the middle and point to the spot where I want her to stand.

"Show me your skill level," I order. "Attack me."

Her face goes redder as she gets madder at me, and she finally starts lunging towards me, telegraphing all her moves badly. The first time, I simply sidestep, laying a hard elbow to the middle of her back. She collapses on the mat.

"Get up," I demand. "Again."

She slowly stands up, furious, and initiates another wild attack. It's almost too easy.

She attempts a right cross, which I easily block, laying a hard punch to her gut. She crumples forward. I sweep her legs out from under her and she's face first on the mat again.

"Come on, that can't be the best you've got," I goad, whispering so only she hears me.

She shoots to her feet, probably only being fueled by pure rage, and attempts to attack me again. I decide to end this charade. I put her in an easy headlock then twist her body around painfully.

"Never show your opponent your intent," I tell her and everyone watching. "And never let your emotions get the better of you."

I drop her to the mat and she collapses in a heap. Maybe this time she learned her lesson. Knowing Scarlet though, probably not.

"Any volunteers?" I ask the group as Scarlet crawls off the mat.

"Me," I hear.

I turn to the voice and see Francis appear from behind another guy. Great. Just what I need. Apparently he somehow made his way over here, following me from the archery station. Fine.

"I already know your skill level, Francis," I roll my eyes. "Didn't my husband prove that?"

"He cheated," Francis sneers.

"Really?" I ask sarcastically. "You _slap_ me, then my husband takes you down a few pegs, and you accuse him of impropriety?"

I speak loud enough so the whole group hears. Francis looks down, slightly embarrassed. Then I see he's shaking his head back and forth.

"Fine," I relent. "Step on to the mat." Maybe I can get out some of the rage I still feel for Francis.

He walks to the middle of the mat and faces me, waiting for instructions.

"Well, come on, show me what you got," I instruct.

"I'd rather spar with Peeta," he announces.

"Peeta's at the archery station. You volunteered, and I'm the instructor, so let's go."

"No. I won't fight a girl."

I roll my eyes. I guess I'll have to provoke him. I'm happy to do so.

Since he's only about a foot away, I reach up and quickly slap him across the face. Hard. Payback.

He glares at me.

"Come on, _Francis_," I tease, "you've already proved you're fine with hitting women. What's the big problem?"

I can see he's getting angrier. The angrier he gets, the easier he'll be to defeat, proving again my lesson of never letting your emotions get the better of you.

"Bitch," I hear him mutter.

"Sorry? What was that?"

"I said, you're a bitch!" He yells. I hear gasps from the group.

"Good. Use that, and attack me," I goad.

He finally cracks.

I see his right hand ball up into a fist, then he raises it. He's really going to try and punch me. Too easy. He telegraphs his move, and I easily dodge his haymaker, laying my own punch to his kidney.

"Ahhhh!" He cries out.

"Is that all it takes for you to quit? One punch? I don't know if you deserve to be in this army," I taunt.

He straightens up and tries again. He lunges at me, trying to use his larger body weight to his advantage my wrapping his arms around me. I turn to the side and back one step. I catch his right arm and wrench it behind his back, forcing him to his knees. He gropes around with his left, but can't get anywhere near me. To hold him down, I press my knee into the center of his back and shove his face into the mat with my free hand.

"Does everyone see what Francis here did wrong?" I ask the group. Some nod their heads while others just look stunned. "He showed me exactly what he was going to do before he did it. And, like Scarlet, he let his emotions take over. If you make these same mistakes, you will not survive out there. The Capitol trains their soldiers well. We have to do better."

I get up off Francis and he lies there for a few moments grunting in pain. I twisted his arm fairly hard after all. Eventually he stumbles to his feet and off the mat.

After I deal with my personal matters, I teach the rest of the group. Most of them have little to no hand-to-hand experience, so Peeta and I have our work cut out for us.

Finally, thankfully, the class is over for the day. I'm exhausted. I walk over to Peeta who's packing the twins up.

"Hey," I breathe, collapsing on the bench next to him.

He leans over and kisses the top of my head.

"Hey baby. How'd it go over there?"

"Well, I had Scarlet and Francis, so you can imagine how that went."

He chuckles softly.

"I hope you didn't hurt our students too bad on the first day?"

"Just their pride," I tell him with a small smile. "Maybe they'll be a little sore tomorrow," I admit.

He laughs and I join him.

"Let's go get something to eat," he suggests.

I agree and we make our way to the cafeteria, finding Johanna, Annie and Finnick. We sit down and enjoy a relaxed late night snack together.

We tell them about our class, and they laugh listening to some of what went on and whom we have to teach. We tell them the story of Francis, and what happened back in 12, and Johanna tells me I let him off easy.

"But you hurt that Scarlet bitch, right?" Johanna asks me.

"Jo!" I yell, darting my eyes between her and the twins. She shoots her hand to her mouth, mortified. We've all learned if there's one thing in this world Johanna Mason cares about, it's Eve and Joshua Mellark.

"Sorry," she says sincerely. I nod and grin, letting her know she's forgiven.

"To answer your question, I definitely embarrassed her. Maybe hurt her a little too. But she's, well, you've seen her. She doesn't give up."

"I told you she wouldn't," Johanna reminds. "Just be on the lookout. You too, Cinnamon Buns."

Peeta just brushes her off with a nod. He's given up trying to have her call him his real name.

"Can we go to bed now honey?" I ask Peeta.

"Of course," he smiles, giving me a quick kiss on the lips. I try to deepen it but he pulls back. I frown, and he looks around, telling me silently we're in public. I narrow my eyes and give him my best seductive look, letting him know he'll be paying me back in private. Ten-fold.

We finish our snack and head back to our room. I collapse on the bed while Peeta puts the twins down.

"Thanks," I mumble when I feel his weight on the bed. "I'm really tired."

"I know," he whispers, wrapping me in his arms from behind. I feel him kiss my hair, and that's the last thing I remember before falling asleep.

I wake up to Eve's cries over the baby monitor. I wiggle out of Peeta's grasp. He's still fast asleep. I look at the clock, and realize it's already midnight.

Eve needs a diaper change so I hoist her out of her crib.

"Come here baby girl," I coo softly. "Mommy will clean you up."

She giggles as I tickle her while I change her diaper. She can be such an easygoing baby at times, and at other almost impossible to deal with. Peeta always says she's just like me.

Once she's clean, I tuck her back in and sing her a song. She falls asleep quickly. I head back to the bedroom and find Peeta awake waiting for me.

"That was a beautiful song," he whispers, motioning towards the baby monitor. He listened.

"Thanks."

I crawl onto the bed towards him. He opens his arms and I gratefully collapse into them.

"I can't believe we have to teach those two," I whisper after a few moments.

"I know," he says softly. "But we'll be alright."

"She's not going to stop, Peeta. Jo's right."

"Kat-"

"It's not that I don't trust you," I quickly interrupt. "You know I trust you, Peeta, fully. It's her I don't trust."

He just nods solemnly.

"Just don't let her get you alone," I warn. He looks terrified. I chuckle. "I trust you, honey, with my heart, my life, my everything. I just - I don't know – I guess I can still be insecure."

He sighs.

"You don't need to be," he explains quietly. "Katniss, we're married. In about a month it'll be our first anniversary, do you realize that?"

I hadn't really thought about it.

"Really?"

"Yup."

"A whole year," I ponder.

"Best year of my life," Peeta supplies.

"Me too." And it's true.

"And we have two wonderful, beautiful, perfect children. Don't forget that, Katniss. You're the mother of my children, not just my wife. You don't have to be insecure about anything in our relationship, okay?"

"I know, but it's just hard sometimes. I know I'm not the prettiest girl in-"

"Don't you dare," he stops me. "How many times do I have to tell you?"

"I don't know," I mumble under my breath. "Once more, maybe?"

"Glad to. Katniss Mellark, you are the most beautiful woman in District 12, 13, Panem, and the entire world. Good enough?"

"For now," I tease. He chuckles, shaking his head. I lean up and give him a quick peck on the lips.

"I don't have to worry about Francis, do I?" He asks teasingly.

"Maybe," I tease back. "He's so strong."

"Katniss!"

I laugh into his chest.

"I love how you can tell me not to be insecure but then you get insecure in a second."

"Well I have an excuse at least."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"You could do so much better than me," he says without looking at me. Oh, Peeta. "I have half a leg, a messed up family and childhood, should I go on?"

"Peeta," I grasp his chin and force him to look at me. "We're married." I repeat his words from a minute ago. "In a month it'll be our first anniversary. I married you _because_ you have a messed up family and childhood. I married you _because _you have a prosthetic leg. Those are parts of you, Peeta. They make you who you are. And I love every part of you. I could never do better than you, because you are it for me, Peeta Mellark."

"Thanks," he whispers after a minute. "I don't know where my head goes sometimes."

"Me either," I admit with a grin. "I guess it's good we're here to bring each other back then, isn't it?"

He nods knowingly.

"Now, honey, I believe you owe me a kiss from dinner," I inform him seriously.

"Do I?" He smirks.

I nod.

"Well I can't let you go to bed without a proper kiss, can I?"

"No, you most certainly can not."

I knew I'd make him pay me back. And he did. A few times.

Just before we drift off to sleep a couple hours later, satiated and satisfied, I whisper to Peeta.

"If that bitch Scarlet even looks at you tomorrow, I'm going to break her fucking nose."

"I think you should break it anyways," he whispers back.

**A/N: Apologies on taking a few days for this chapter. I was dealing with work and not feeling too hot, but I got it out. **

**Thanks to everyone who pointed out my airheaded error last chapter. I'll go in and fix it after I post this chapter. I was half-asleep when I wrote that, so I must've mixed up Delly and Madge in my head. Thanks. **

**Shorter chapter this time, but don't worry, there's much more to come!**

**Keep reviewing and reading. Have an awesome Saturday. **


	10. How To Piss Off A Colonel

"Peeta, wake up," I start softly. Nothing. I sigh and look at Eve in my arms. She's happily playing with the end of my braid. I need Peeta to wake up to help me get the twins ready.

"Peeta," I say a little louder. Still nothing. I poke him in the ribs with my spare hand. He mumbles and turns. I giggle.

I lean down and put my lips right next to his ear.

"Wake up, Peeta Mellark, your girls are here," I coo. Finally, he stirs.

He turns his face and cracks his eyes open, smiling when he sees me. He apparently doesn't see our daughter, however, because he reaches up and tries to pull me down on top of him, intent on trying to make love to me. Which, of course, I would be more than happy about, but we do have two infants to take care of at this moment. So, regrettably, I dodge his arms and show him his wide-awake daughter.

"Let's go daddy," I order. "Time to get up."

"Ugh, fine," he grumbles as he throws the covers off. I quickly turn and avert Eve's eyes. I forgot he was naked under there.

"Honey, put some clothes on," I suggest with a grin. He bounces his eyebrows at me saucily but walks over to our nightstand, pulling on a pair of sweats and a tee.

"Better?" He asks.

"Much. Now kiss your girls good morning and go change your son's dirty diaper," I command.

He chuckles and shakes his head, smiling. He walks over and gently kisses Eve on the forehead.

"Good morning my beautiful baby girl. Mommy taking care of you? Don't give her too much trouble. Some, not much, okay?" Eve just giggles at her daddy. I smile.

He turns to me next and gives me a sweet kiss on the lips.

"Morning baby," I whisper against his soft lips.

"Morning. I'll go get Josh ready."

"Thanks," I call over my shoulder as he walks to their room. I set Eve down on the bed so I can get dressed.

Peeta reappears a few minutes later, Josh changed and clothed on his shoulder.

"There's the girls," he points out to Josh. "I told you we'd find them."

"We weren't hiding!" I say defensively.

"We never know with you Mellark women," Peeta says, faux-serious. "Tricky bunch, you are."

I huff and cross my arms sarcastically. Peeta just kisses me, and I can't keep up the façade.

"Give me my baby," I demand, opening my arms. Peeta obliges and hands Josh over. "Morning, my handsome boy," I whisper as I kiss him. He smiles up at me and grasps my fingers with his tiny fist. I look up at Peeta, who's getting dressed for the day. If Josh turns out to be half the man his father is, I'll be the proudest mother ever.

"What?" Peeta asks, noticing my stares. I avert my gaze and look back down at Josh.

"Nothing," I shrug. "Just admiring my boys."

He gives me an amused, crooked smile as he crosses the room back to the bed, sitting down next to me and scooping Eve into his arms.

"We have the most beautiful girls, don't we Josh?" Peeta asks, but he's looking at Eve, who's confused hearing her brother's name while her dad is looking at her. Peeta and I chuckle at that.

"Well Eve and I have the strongest, most strapping boys there are," I rebut. Peeta shakes his head again. "What?"

"You. You're such a good mom."

An involuntary blush spreads across my cheeks. Peeta, as usual, leans over and kisses both my red cheeks.

"You're the best dad," I tell him honestly before I give him a quick kiss on the lips. "Okay, Mellark family, time for breakfast."

We start by giving the twins a bottle. Peeta and I then change into gray cargos, gray uniform tees and our thigh holsters, then we head out for the cafeteria. We push the twins along happily in their stroller with one hand, our others intertwined. We pass a lot of people in the halls, and people who we don't know greet us. I guess we are that famous.

"Do we have to teach today?" I ask Peeta as we stroll along.

"Yeah. After breakfast," he explains.

"Almost all of them have no experience."

"I know. But if there's anyone who can teach them, it's us."

I can't really argue with that.

"Yup, you're right," I look at him proudly. He grins at me and squeezes my hand as we continue down the drab grey halls.

Breakfast is a fun affair, as they usually are with our group of friends. Finnick spends the whole time trying to rile Peeta up, going so far as to overtly hit on me. Not only do I brush him off, I end up punching him, hard, in the shoulder. Peeta just laughs Finnick off, repeating that he doesn't worry about his wife. He gladly tells everyone I can hold my own.

"What are you guys doing today?" I ask the group. They become eerily silent.

"Training," Johanna finally says.

"For what?" I probe.

"A mission," she answers quietly.

"What? What mission?" Peeta frantically queries.

"We're going to eight," Finnick speaks up. "To help with the uprising there."

"They're sending you into combat?" I ask incredulously.

"We probably won't see any direct combat," Johanna answers. "At least, that's what they told us."

Peeta and I look at each other, utterly speechless. We knew this was likely to happen. If we hadn't made our deal, we'd be on that mission with them. But the fact remains we did make our deal, and everyone at this table supported us a hundred percent.

"When do you leave?" Peeta wants to know. I do too.

"A week," Finnick shrugs. "Don't worry guys, we'll be fine," he waves us off nonchalantly.

"Don't worry?" I almost yell? "You tell me 'don't worry', Finnick O'Dair? How dare you!"

"Katniss," I feel the soft exhales of Peeta's breath on my necks. I take a deep breath and calm down. "She's right, though," Peeta surprises me when he goes on. "You can't tell us not to worry, you're our family. We're always going to care about every single one of you."

Before she can interject one of her wiseass comments, I head Jo off.

"Yes, even you, Johanna Mason. As afraid as I am of what you'll teach my children once they're older, we do want you around when that happens."

She nods and closes her eyes.

"So please, for us, be careful," I plead.

"We'll try," Annie answers for the group.

"Well this meal took a depressing turn," Finnick jokes. Everyone laughs.

The rest of breakfast goes by fine, our group laughing and joking and always fawning over the twins. Soon, it's time to go, so Peeta and I head out to teach our class.

"Show that um," Jo searches for an appropriate adjective, "bad lady who's boss, brainless."

I chuckle and look at her over my shoulder.

"Will do."

I hold Peeta's hand as we walk, both of us pushing the stroller.

We enter the training room and find our students waiting for us, seated on some bleachers. We stand in front of them. They're murmuring amongst themselves, and don't stop when we arrive.

"Mmm mm," Peeta coughs, trying to get their attention. No response.

"MMM MM," he tries louder. Still no response. He rolls his eyes.

"EXCUSE ME!" He yells. Everyone's heads snaps forward and looks at him bug-eyed.

"That's better," he grins. "This is, first and foremost, a military unit. Right now you have no ranks. You're trainees, cadets, nothing. My wife and I are Colonels, and we expect to be treated as such. In our presence, you will not speak unless spoken to, and you will salute when required. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" They respond in unison. Peeta sighs dramatically.

"That's better. Now, today we will begin your training in full. For the first part we will split into gender groups. Females will go with Katniss and males will go with me. Fall in."

They hustle and form lines in front of the both of us. They scramble, trying to stand at attention. It looks like we'll have to work on that too.

I turn to Peeta.

"Want me to take them for now?" I ask, motioning to our children.

"Sure, honey. Just don't keep them for too long. I'll miss you guys too much," he replies quietly, though I'm sure they can hear us. Like I care.

I smile brightly and lean in to give him one last peck on the lips before we separate.

"Okay, girls," I turn to my students, most of whom are older than me, "first you need to warm up. Five laps around the running track, starting right now."

I hear a groan from the back. I lean over and notice that it came from Scarlet.

"Did I give you permission to groan, Cadet Johnston?"

"No, ma'am," she looks at her shoes.

"Make that seven laps, courtesy of Cadet Johnston. You may begin." Maybe that'll make her life a little harder. He he.

I watch them run while I take turns cradling the twins in my arms, letting them play with the end of my braid and my ring, as they're prone to do. I notice Scarlet dragging major ass. Actually she's the second-to-last to finish. Eventually they all return to formation in front of me, panting and out of breath.

"Looks like we'll have to work on your physical fitness more than I originally thought," I tell them with no humor. "For now, we'll begin some basic combat and survival skills. First I will teach you how to find and properly prepare drinking water."

"Why do we have to know that?" Scarlet asks, again in the back.

"What did I say about speaking out of turn, Cadet?" I snap. Her jaw drops and she tries to speak, but nothing emits. "Twenty pushups, Cadet Johnston. Right now."

She huffs and puffs but gets down and gives me twenty very, very weak pushups.

"We'll work on your form later. It's too terrible to even start to try right now," I explain. I'm giving it to her hard today, but I think she deserves it. She did volunteer, after all.

I lead them to the water purification area, and explain all about how to find water when you think you're nowhere near it. I show them the many different ways of purifying water, from iodine drops to chlorine tablets to good-old boiling.

"Excuse me, Colonel Mellark," Scarlet pipes up, obviously spitting out my last name, "but why do we have to know all this? Won't we have canteens?"

I roll my eyes dramatically.

"Would anybody like to answer Cadet Johnston?" I ask the group.

To my surprise, Madge, who I'd almost forgot was here because she's been so quiet, steps forward.

"I will, Colonel," she says.

"Proceed, Cadet Undersee," I smile at her.

"Cadet Johnston, there may be combat or non-combat situations where we run out of our water supply. If we do not properly purify our water, we could easily fall ill and cause more problems for ourselves, our unit, and the rebellion at large." She looks to me for approval. I nod.

"Cadet Undersee is absolutely correct. Well done, Cadet. If you drink water from a tainted source, you could contract dysentery or giardia, among other diseases. And trust me, you don't want those."

"Why not, Colonel?" Another Cadet asks. I recognize her from school. She's from Town, but she was always nice to me. Her name's Bitsy Ballinger.

"Because, Cadet Ballinger, the main symptoms of dysentery and giardia are almost constant vomiting and diarrhea." All of the girls' faces cringe. I chuckle to myself. I forget sometimes not everyone has gone into the Arena like me and my husband.

"Exactly," I reinforce. They nod in agreement. "Good. Now, this water source over here," I point to a small stream, "is tainted. I want you to pair off and use one of the methods we've learned. This will be the only water you'll get for the rest of class today, so don't screw it up."

I watch as they pair off, Madge hooking up with Bitsy. To my utter joy, Scarlet is one of the last ones without a partner, and someone has to be forced to join up with her. I answer a few questions, but for the most part, they understand. After about twenty minutes, we move on.

"Now we will go to the introductory weapons area," I guide them across the room. Peeta and the boys are again at the mats, throwing each other all over the place. "You can ogle the boys later, ladies," I warn.

We arrive at the station, where a variety of weapons are laid out. I'll demonstrate with my pistol, which I of course have in my thigh holster.

"First I will demonstrate a simple draw-and-shoot using my personal side arm. Cadet Undersee," I motion to Madge. She steps forward at attention. "Cadet Undersee, if you would be so kind as to watch my children while I step up to the line?"

"Yes, ma'am," she gives me a small grin. I grin back.

"Very well."

I step up to the line and type in some simple commands to have the range give me a moving target in the silhouette of a Capitol soldier.

"Cadet Undersee, please call the draw."

"Draw," she says after a moment.

My hand instinctually snatches my gun, quickly bringing it up to my sight line while simultaneously aiming. I fire off all fifteen rounds at the moving target. When I'm finished I quickly re-load and re-holster. I glance at the class, who are all staring at me in awe, even Scarlet. Maybe this will help dissuade her from her own 'mission'. I retrieve the target and rip it off to show them.

"Now, I have been shooting for a long time, but this is the level all of you will hopefully be at when we're finished," I explain while they pass around the target. I'm fairly proud. Five head shots and ten chest shots, all of them kill shots. Just like Peeta and I practiced for all those months in our backyard.

"Wow," I hear them mumble. I smile to myself.

"Okay, now you will all take turns familiarizing yourselves with a pistol. We will begin with pistols and work our way up to assault rifles and bows."

This part is tedious, as I have to teach them everything about guns, starting with the names of all the parts. I don't really mind, but I'd rather be with my family, relaxing.

At one point, I feel Peeta wrap his arms around me from the back.

"Hey gorgeous," he whispers.

"Hi baby," I turn and kiss his cheek. "Where's your group?"

"Taking a break," he turns us to look at them. I laugh at the sight. They look exhausted, bruised and battered, all of them. Especially Francis, I note.

"Peeta, what happened to Francis?" I ask semi-seriously.

"He said some things I didn't agree with," he shrugs casually.

"I hope you corrected him."

"Oh, I did, Mrs. Mellark, I did."

"Very well, Colonel," I say seriously. He chuckles into my hair.

"I like it when you call me Colonel," he whispers seductively.

"Not now, Mr. Mellark," I whisper back, jerking my head to the groups.

"Ugh. Fine," he huffs in frustration. "We're not leaving the room this afternoon unless we have to. Agreed?"

"Oh most definitely. Agreed."

I give him a chaste kiss and shove him towards his group so we can get out of here quicker.

We end the class at lunchtime, telling the Cadets to be here the same time tomorrow. I hold Madge back.

"Madge," I grab her shoulder gently.

"Yes, Colonel Mellark?"

"Madge, call me Katniss when we're not in class, okay?" I smile.

"Okay, Katniss," she smiles.

"I just want to thank you for helping out today," I tell her honestly.

"Of course. I'll do anything to be helpful, whatever you need."

"I know. It's just – look – back in 12, Scarlet didn't make it a secret she wants to, um, uh, get Peeta into bed. She even told me it was the only reason she volunteered for this. So, if you could, I don't know-"

"Look out for you? I'm on it, Mrs. Mellark," she smirks.

"Good. Thanks, Madge. Really."

"Anytime, Katniss. You weren't doing too bad of a job yourself today, you know."

I smirk triumphantly.

"I won't take any of her crap in here, not when I'm supposed to be turning you into soldiers."

"You shouldn't have to. She's horrible, everyone knows it. Don't worry, we'll take care of her."

I smile as she hurries to catch up with some of the other Cadets on their way to lunch. I sit and wait for Peeta, who's still giving a couple of the guys hand-to-hand instruction. After a few minutes, he sits down and takes Eve into his arms.

"Well?" I ask.

"We have our work cut out for us, like we thought. You?"

"They're learning quickly. I came down pretty hard on you-know-who, but she was asking for it."

"That's my wife," he says proudly, giving me a sweet kiss on the cheek. "Shall we go to lunch, Mellark family?"

"Please."

So, the four of us walk to lunch, happy as can be. Honestly, I don't care where we are, when I'm with these three people, the three people I love the most in this world, I'll always be happy.

**A/N: Another chapter down, who knows how many to go!**

**Here's the deal. I've been working a lot more and starting up classes again (trying to become a history teacher), so I doubt I'll be able to post a chapter daily. But I'm not going to make you wait like a week without warning. At most it'll be 2-3 days, which I think is still fairly quick. Thanks for your understanding. **

**Also, I want to announce that tonight (hopefully) I'll be posting the first chapter of a new story. I kept thinking about it, and finally just decided to write it down before I forgot. It's going to be Everlark like it's never been done before. It'll be a modern day AU, and it's going to take place, of all places, on freaking Mount Everest. Yeah, you heard me. I'm a big outdoorsmen and climber (I've spent months mountaineering in places like Patagonia, the Whites in New Hampshire, and I've trekked most of the Appalachian Trail), so this story will be more than fun for me to write. I'll do my best to explain all the climbing terms, but knowing me, it's going to be an awesomely fluffy love story. I can't wait.**

**UPDATE: The first chapter of my new story, titled 'Top Of The World', has been posted. Please read and review!**

**Thanks go out to all my readers and reviewers alike. You're all amazing, always waiting for the new chapter and then telling me how you liked it. I truly do appreciate every review I get. Thank you so much. **

**Keep reviewing and reading. New SoA tonight! Is Jax not the most badass mother on TV or what?**


	11. Speed Bump or Road Block?

_One Week Later_

Tonight all of our friends leave on their mission. I try not to think about it, but that doesn't mean I forget it. Not in a long shot.

Right now, Finnick and Annie are watching the twins. Peeta and I figured we should give them some peaceful time before they leave. They were incredibly grateful.

This past week, we've been teaching our class daily. We're still divided up by genders. Scarlet still talks back, and I still enforce physical punishments for her insubordination. One thing that's happened is that most of the other cadets despise her now, considering she's the reason they must do extra training.

Peeta tells me that Francis also hasn't given up. He takes every chance he gets to try and undermine Peeta, whispering crude things about me and such. Peeta, the good man he is, ignores it and does what I do – uses his status as the instructor to get his payback. Francis has looked mighty weary the past few days, and I'm sure the black eye he's sporting is from my husband. For some reason, that makes me want Peeta even more than usual.

We're taking a 'stroll' before class begins. In 13, a stroll means wandering around the gray hallways that all look the same. I don't really care, because I'm walking with Peeta and holding his hand. That's all that really matters.

All of the Rebel Victors are now celebrities in 13. Pretty much everyone knows who we are, what we've done, and are not shy about letting us know. We're getting used to it, as we were popular back in Panem too, but sometimes I wish I could walk with my husband and not get bombarded every at every turn.

"What ya thinking about honey?" Peeta interrupts my thoughts.

"Nothing really," I shrug.

He just smiles, shaking his head slightly, and leans over to give my cheek a sweet kiss. I turn and smile up at him.

"What are we teaching today?" I ask.

"Well I'm going to get the guys going on weapons handling and stuff like that. You?"

"The girls still need a lot more instruction in weapons, so I'm sure we'll do some of that, but today I'm going to work them hard physically. A lot of them are nowhere near the shape they need to be in to fight."

Peeta snorts and grins.

"You could say that about the guys too."

"Good thing they have us then, huh?" I smirk.

"Lucky them," he smirks back.

We turn a corner and both stop dead in our tracks. Standing not five feet away are Scarlet and Francis. And they don't look very happy.

"Excuse us," Peeta says politely. They stand their ground.

"You're not going anywhere," Francis snaps.

I roll my eyes.

"Move out of the way Francis," I warn.

"Or what?" He taunts. "You going to try and fight me?"

Peeta and I both burst out laughing.

"Did you already forget what happened last week?" I tease. "Remember? Me kicking your ass? Multiple times?"

"I let you," he states defiantly. Suuuuuure. "There's no one to save you now, Katniss."

It's my turn to snort.

"She doesn't need anyone to save her," Peeta speaks up. "She's perfectly capable of handing you your ass on a platter all by herself."

I turn and grin at him. He grins confidently.

"Seriously," Peeta turns back to them, "move. If you won't do it because we asked politely, then consider it an order from two Colonels to two Cadets. Move."

"No," they state in unison.

"Have it your way," I tell them with no humor. "Cadet Burton, Cadet Johnston, you are hereby under arrest for insubordination and refusing a lawful order from a superior officer. Turn and put your hands on your heads."

"Make me," Scarlet snivels.

"I'd like to see you try," Francis adds.

Really, what's it going to take for these two to learn?

"Which one do you want baby?" I ask Peeta casually.

"Francis," he answers instantly. "It's time he learned a lesson."

"Good," I nod. "Scarlet is in need of one too."

We turn back and the two of them look ready to fight. Thing is, it's not going to be much of a fight, and we've already proved that back in 12. I don't understand how they haven't given up yet.

"Last chance Scarlet," I warn her one last time.

"Fuck you," she yells.

I smirk. Good. I didn't want her to give in easily.

She makes the first move, trying to hit me in the face. I dodge it easily, quickly laying a punch to her gut. She doubles forward clutching at her stomach. I don't waste the opportunity. I grab her ponytail, and yank on it backwards, hard. Her whole body comes flying with it, and I stick my foot behind hers. The combination causes her to fall backwards and she lands on the floor with a thump, groaning.

I glance to my left and I see Francis trying in vain to get out of a headlock. Peeta looks, well, he looks downright relaxed. Francis is swinging wildly, but is unable to make any contact. Peeta's apparently had enough, as he lays a hard elbow to the middle of Francis' back and sweeps his legs out. Francis goes down in a heap as Peeta and I stand over them triumphantly.

I forcefully roll Scarlet over on her stomach and press my knee into her back hard. She screams and screams but I just smile softly. Peeta hands me a pair of flex cuffs and I harshly cuff her hands behind her back. I see Peeta do the same with Francis.

I stand up and grab the plastic holding Scarlet's hands together. I yank and she eventually stands up. Peeta gets Francis on his feet.

"That was too easy," I say jovially.

"Yeah," Peeta agrees. "Just like old times, huh Francis?"

"This isn't over," Francis tries to sound ominous. Peeta just chuckles softly.

"Let's go," we order as we push them in front of us and make them start walking.

"Where are you taking us?" Scarlet asks in a small voice. She sounds defeated.

"To the holding cells, of course," I say like it should be obvious.

"What? Why?" She panics.

"Really? Are you deaf? You refused a direct order. That's in violation of the military code. You're going to spend at least a month in jail. Both of you. That's not even considering the insubordination, and, oh yeah, I almost forgot, the assault of a superior officer."

Scarlet hangs her head in shame at my words. The full weight of her actions are starting to hit her, it seems.

They're silent the rest of the way, and we soon arrive at the disciplinary area. We march them up to the front desk.

"Two cadets for holding," I inform the Sergeant behind the desk.

He looks up and recognizes me and Peeta, and sees our ranks.

"Right away, Colonels. Charges?"

Peeta lists them off in short order.

"Insubordination, refusal of direct orders, and assault of a superior officer."

"Very well," the Sergeant replies. "Their hearing will be in three days time. We'll need you to come give your statements, Colonels."

"That's fine," I assure him.

"Have fun guys!" Peeta calls out sarcastically as they're lead back into the area where the cells are.

"Well that was fun," I joke as we walk out.

"Maybe this time they'll learn," he ponders.

"Doubtful," I retort.

"Yeah. But we can always wish, right?"

"Always."

"Let's get to class," he suggests, looking at his watch.

"Wouldn't want the instructors to be late, would we?" I say lightly. He laughs as he takes my hand again and we begin the trek to the classroom.

Class goes a lot smoother without Scarlet and Francis. There's no distractions, so we're able to teach a lot more. Madge, especially, has been surprising me daily. She's picking up everything I throw at her quickly, and retains all the information. She's kind of taken on the roll of my assistant, without either of us voicing it out loud. She's just always right there to help me, and I'm thankful, especially when we have our children with us.

After class, we head to the cafeteria. We find our friends. It's the last meal before they ship out. Finnick and Annie aren't there yet, and Peeta and I wait nervously for their arrival with the twins.

Finally, after ten minutes, I can see Finnick's head above the rest. I nudge Peeta and point.

"There they are. Finally," he mumbles happily.

We both shoot out of our seats and quickly make our way to them. They're pushing the stroller and when my eyes find my children, it feels like a million pound weight lifted off my chest.

"My babies," I breathe as I make it to them. "Oh, my babies."

I kneel down and kiss both of them a hundred times. Peeta does the same. We saw them right after breakfast, when we brought them to the O'Dairs, but it feels like forever.

"Were they good?" I ask without taking my eyes off my kids.

"They were angels," Annie confirms.

"Still don't know how kids who came from you two can be so perfect," Finnick teases.

I glare up at him and he holds his hands up defensively.

"Sorry! Sorry!" He backtracks.

Peeta and I slowly stand up to face them.

"Finnick, I thought you'd have learned by now," Peeta explains, "to never, ever get in between Katniss and our kids. It's like poking a mama grizzly bear with a honey laden stick. Not the wisest decision."

All four of us laugh. It was a fairly apt description.

"Come on guys," I motion to the table, "let's go eat. It's our last meal together before you ship out."

"Of course," Annie smiles. "We'll go grab some food. Bye, Evey and Joshy!"

"Say bye to your aunt and uncle," I coax the twins. They don't really respond, considering they probably have no idea what I'm saying, but they're obviously happy to be with mommy and daddy again.

We walk back and sit down, and, predictably, everyone at the table ignores Peeta and me and focuses on our kids. We've gotten used to it. They take their turns holding them. It's become sort of our tradition during meals. The twins, for their part, love it. I'm happy they have such a huge family around them, even if we're all not technically related. It's the love that counts, our hearts, not our blood.

Everyone avoids talk of the mission during the meal. Instead we laugh, joke, tease each other, and fawn over the children. Nobody would ever know that most of these people are heading into combat soon.

Lunch finished, Peeta and I head back to our room so the twins can have a nap. We need one as well, so all four of us lie down on our bed and are quickly asleep, one big happy family.

The alarm I set wakes us up at four. Everyone's scheduled to leave in an hour. I rouse Peeta and the twins and we walk to the designated hanger.

It's weird seeing all our friends dressed from head-to-toe in full combat gear, especially Annie for some reason. Jo just looks like she's in her element.

They all take their turns dutifully saying goodbye to the kids. It's easy to see them getting a little emotional, especially Finnick and Annie. I wonder, again, when they'll start having kids. It's not an if, but a when at this point.

We stand in a circle for the last few minutes before they embark.

"Please come back," I break the silence.

They all remain quiet, but nod their heads in understanding.

"We're serious," Peeta adds. "Our meal times are going to be so boring without you."

That gets everyone to laugh.

"Don't worry about us brainless, cinnamon buns," Johanna grins. "You just take care of the mini-loaves, we'll take care of the rest."

"Just – just – just don't get hurt," I plead. "We love you all way too much. You've helped us out so much. If there's anything we can do our anything you need, please don't hesitate." This is harder than I thought it would be.

The time comes for them to board the hovercraft. There's one last round of hugs, and I know my eyes are welling up in emotion. I see Peeta's are as well.

We stand there and wave until the hovercraft is out of sight, then it's just the four of us alone in the huge hanger.

Peeta and I are too emotionally spent at this point to do much of anything, so we just go back to the apartment and lie down. The twins are fast asleep in their cribs, also exhausted from all the attention they got.

We sleep right through dinner, but neither of us were hungry anyways.

I'm woken suddenly by loud knocking on our front door. Frantic, incessant knocking.

I crawl out of Peeta's embrace, and it awakens him.

"It's just the door," I tell him, "I'll get it. Go back to sleep."

"No, I'll come with you."

We get out of bed and make it to the front door. I swing it open.

"What!" I ask, exasperated.

It's Haymitch, and he doesn't look to be doing too well.

"Haymitch? What is it?" Peeta asks.

"It's – um – uh –" he stutters.

"Well?" I prompt.

"It's the Victors. They never made it to eight."

"What do you mean they never made it to eight?" I quickly ask for clarification. It seems like a dream.

"I mean, sweetheart, their hovercraft never made it. The Capitol shot it down."

And just like that, Peeta's and my world crashes down around us.

**A/N: CLIFFY! Ha ha. Don't hate me, please. You know it's all going to somehow work out in the end, but this is a war, so there should be SOME drama. **

**New chapters for this story will now be posted every 2-3 days or so, as I'm also working on my new story, 'Top Of The World'. Please check it out if you haven't done so already. It's a modern day AU of Peeta and Katniss climbing Mt. Everest. I think it's pretty sweet, so you should too! Please go read and review! Fave and follow!**

**What happens next? Who's dead? Who's alive? How do Peeta and Katniss react to this? Will they break their promise to each other or remain steadfast? You'll have to tune in next time to see. **

**Thanks go out to ALL MY READERS. Seriously, you guys are freaking amazing. Eleven chapters in and we almost have two hundred reviews. That's unbelievable, and it's thanks to all of you. Please, keep posting reviews. It helps me to know my writing is appreciated, and that you guys are still interested in this story. **

**So, thanks again. Until next time. **

**New chapter of 'Top Of The World' should be posted later today. **

**Keep reviewing and reading. **


	12. Rescue Mission

Peeta and I are both in shock. This can't be happening.

But it is.

"Are they still alive?" Peeta asks after a moment.

"We don't know," Haymitch answers.

"Are they captured?" Peeta asks.

"We don't know," Haymitch repeats.

I can't take it. I bury my face into Peeta's chest, hiding from the world. He maneuvers us towards the couch and sits us down. I wiggle around and plop myself directly in his lap, his arms encircling me.

I hear Haymitch enter the room and heave a deep sigh. Peeta gently kisses the top of my head.

"What's Coin doing about it?" Peeta demands.

"Nothing," Haymitch answers sadly.

"What do you mean nothing?"

"She says we can't risk more lives on any kind of rescue mission."

I lift my head off Peeta's chest and look between them. From the look in my eyes alone, I'm sure they know exactly what I'm thinking.

"Are you sure baby?" Peeta quietly asks. "You know I'm with you all the way, but - "

"I'm sure," I nod. "They'd do it for us. We owe it to them."

"So we're going after them then?" Haymitch asks us.

"You don't have to," I assure him, "this is our responsibility."

"The hell it is," Haymitch scoffs. "Besides, you think I'm going to let you two get all the glory – again?"

"Fine," I huff.

"So what's the plan?" Peeta queries.

"We steal a hovercraft and go find our friends," I state simply.

"Who's going to fly it?"

"I will," Haymitch answers. We both look at him in shock. "What? I've learned a few things over the years. Don't look at me like that."

"Alrighty then," Peeta sums up. "We leave in ten."

"We need to take the twins to Prim," I tell him. "Her and my mom are the only ones I completely trust."

"Definitely. I'll tell Rye and Nan to keep an eye out too."

It's not that Peeta and I don't trust his brothers, because we do, but if we're leaving our children with anyone it's going to be Prim and my mom.

"Meet you in the hanger," Haymitch calls over his shoulder as he hustles out.

Peeta and I suppress our emotions and jump into action mode. We quickly pack a bag for the twins, getting everything they need. We throw on our green fatigues and double-check Peeta's armory leg, making sure we have everything.

We head down the hall to Prim's room. We're lucky she's there.

"Prim, we don't have time to explain, but we need you to watch the kids," I hurriedly tell her when she answers the door.

"Of course," she quickly recovers, smiling at her niece and nephew.

I envelop her in a tight hug.

"I love your Prim."

"I love you too Katniss."

Peeta dives in and gives her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Later little sis. Love ya."

"Take care of her big bro. Love you too."

Peeta and I hustle to the hanger and find Haymitch already there waiting for us.

"Hanger 2B," he says. "An old friend helped us out."

I don't know who he's referring to, but I can't worry about that now. We almost sprint to the designated hanger and board the hovercraft. Haymitch heads up to the cockpit and before I know it, we're already up and flying, leaving the bleakness of 13 behind us.

"You know we're probably going to get court-martialed if and when we return," Peeta says with a sad smile.

"Ha. If we come back with everyone, let Coin try," I state defiantly.

"That's my wife," Peeta proudly says.

"Peeta…"

"I know."

We haven't voiced it, but I know we're both thinking it.

This is exactly the type of situation both of us were terrified about. We're heading into an unknown situation, probably into combat, and we have no clue if we'll make it back to our children and our lives.

"I'm going to do everything I can to get us back to them, Kat," he promises.

"I know you will," I nod as I hug him tight. "Just remember that we need you with us, Peeta. Don't you dare go dying on us, you hear?"

"Yes ma'am."

We spend the remainder of the trip in silence, just being as close to each other as possible. After about an hour Haymitch calls back to us.

"We're a mile away from their last known position. I'm landing here."

Peeta and I are both surprised at the fact that Haymitch, the old drunk, actually knows how to fly one of these things, and that he seemingly does it so well. Either way, we now have to go to work.

When we land, Haymitch comes back.

"You're staying here," I firmly explain.

"What?"

"You're staying right here, Haymitch," I repeat. "We need someone to be able to fly and if something goes wrong, well, go back and tell everyone what happened."

Haymitch looks to Peeta, but Peeta's on my side. Always.

"Fine. You two better come back alive."

I think it's the most serious I've ever seen Haymitch, including right before the Games.

"We'll try our best," I yell as Peeta and I exit.

As soon as we're on the ground, Peeta and I begin moving as silently as possible, covering each other and our sixes. I'm again thankful we spent all those hours practicing.

We have our side arms drawn as we move through the woods towards the site of their last known position.

As we get closer, I start smelling the distinct smell of jet fuel. I know we're almost there.

We begin seeing wreckage. A metal bar here, a uniform seat belt there. It's harrowing, but we ignore it the best we can.

Finally we step into a clearing and the crash site is right in front of us. I almost collapse. The hovercraft is a tangled heap of molten steel and burning wreckage. We don't see any bodies, alive or dead.

We start sifting through, looking for any clues. We see various boot tracks, but we don't know if they're friendly or hostile.

As we move to the other side of the clearing, I hear a twig snap in the distance. Peeta hears it too, and instinctually moves me behind him, shielding me.

"Brainless? Is that you?"

No. It can't be.

"JO!?"

"It's me idiot. Be quiet!" She admonishes.

She appears from behind a tree twenty feet in front of us. She's clutching her left arm. It's probably broken. There's a large gash down the side of her face, but besides that, she looks just like herself.

We meet up with her.

"Are you okay?" I ask frantically.

"I'm fine. I'm fine."

"Where's everyone else?"

"They're about a hundred yards back in the woods," she motions behind her.

"Are they okay?"

"Relatively," she explains. "Beetee is unconscious with a nasty head wound. Wiress has a broken leg in two places. Finnick is pretty much fine, as is Annie. Chaff, well, he's one tough son of a bitch. Hauled Mags out of the crash over his shoulder with three broken ribs."

"Oh my god," I mutter. I feel terrible that my friends have gone through this, but hopeful now that I know they're all alive.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" Johanna angrily demands.

"We came to get you," Peeta replies calmly.

"You shouldn't have. The Capitol has soldiers swarming everywhere. Why do you think we're hiding?"

Oh god. I knew it. We're exposed, standing right out in the open.

Just as Jo finishes explaining this to us, Peeta and I are both altered to movement to our left, about thirty yards off.

"Go," I tell Johanna, without moving my eyes from where I sense the movement. "We'll take care of this and come get you guys. Go, Johanna."

She doesn't say a word as she slinks back off into the woods.

Peeta and I ready ourselves for combat.

I know we can do this. We survived The Hunger Games, didn't we?

"Peeta, baby, let me get my bow."

"Good idea."

He stops and I quickly open his leg, grabbing my bow and quiver, expanding them and the arrows and readying them.

We move forward slowly but carefully, covering one another. Peeta takes the lead.

I knock a Nightlock-tipped arrow. Poetic, just like Beetee explained when he gave them to me.

As we move into the woods, I start clearly hearing voices.

They're Capitol soldiers. They're searching for our friends.

"They've got to be around here somewhere," one says.

"Snow will execute us if we don't come back with them," another replies.

He won't get the chance, I think.

Peeta stops and turns to me. He makes various motions with his hands, a language we worked out between us to communicate silently. I understand. He wants me to circle left while he goes right so we can flank them.

I nod and we kiss once more before we move out.

I can only pray Peeta stays hidden until we attack. I know how loud he can be, even if we've worked on it for months.

I move into position. I can now see the soldiers. There's five of them. Stealth is key. I draw my string back and aim at the one I assume is the leader. Peeta knows to wait for my first shot before he begins.

I take a deep breath, knowing that I'm no longer shooting at a target, but at a real, flesh and bones person.

I remind myself, it's them or us.

With that, thinking of my children, I loose.

The arrow sails straight and true, hitting him right in the neck, almost in the same spot I shot Marvel in after he killed Rue. The combination of the arrow and the Nightlock works quickly, and he's dead before he hits the ground.

The other four scramble, searching for me. One goes down with a shot between the eyes from my still-hidden husband.

I start moving towards them, reaching behind for another arrow. I knock it and aim, and I hit another one in the chest, piercing his armor and heart. He falls dead. Three down, two to go.

By now, the two remaining soldiers are aware they're facing more than one foe. They take cover.

I sling my bow over my shoulder and draw my pistol. I see Peeta not ten feet in front of me. We meet up and take cover behind two trees, the two remaining soldiers ten feet away behind cover of their own.

I hear them let off some shots which go wild and hit the tree I'm standing behind. When they stop, I turn to expose myself to take a shot.

But when I do, my foot catches a root and I go tumbling down right into the open.

I look up and I see one of the soldiers, a wide smirk on his face. He raises his gun and aims at me.

I close my eyes. I can only pray Peeta makes it out and back to our kids.

I hear the gun go off, but don't feel an impact. Instead I feel a body slam into me.

I open my eyes and find my husband covering me, groaning.

"Peeta!" I scream.

The two soldiers are advancing on us now, intent on finishing us off. They must think I'm incapacitated, because they look pretty casual. I slyly grasp my pistol. These bastards must die.

I quickly raise my pistol and let off two well-aimed shots. Both hit the soldiers right between their eyes. They drop dead at my feet.

I turn my focus back to my husband. I roll him off of me.

"PEETA!" I scream again. He groans in response.

I lay him on his back and frantically search his body. I find a bullet wound in the side of his chest, between two cracks in his vest. I apply pressure, all the while yelling at him.

"Don't you dare die on me Peeta Mellark! YOU PROMISED!"

"Always," he somehow manages to moan out, a small smile on his face.

"That's right, baby, always. You and me are going to die old in each other's arms. We're going to have a bunch of kids and grandkids. We're going to sit on our porch and watch the sunsets. Stay with me baby, please, I need you."

"Katniss!"

Thank god!

Finnick comes sprinting into the opening, sliding down to the ground right in front of me.

He doesn't even ask any questions, just takes over administering first aid from me.

"Annie!" He screams.

Moments later Annie appears.

"Go get Haymitch and the hovercraft!" I yell. "That way!" I point.

Annie nods and runs off. I pray she makes it in time. Peeta's losing a lot of blood.

Slowly, the other Victors appear, all of them looking somber, clutching at their own wounds. Finnick has stripped his own shirt off, using it to stem the flow of blood from Peeta's gunshot wound.

Now that I've had a chance to breath, the full impact of what has transpired hits me.

I've just killed four men. And Peeta might die.

My body fails me and I start hyperventilating. Hot tears stream down my face, and all I can do is cradle Peeta's head in my lap. He's so pale.

I rock back and forth, unable to do anything else. I don't want to believe this is really happening.

"The flow is slowing down," Finnick tries to console me. "Peeta's tough, Katniss. He'll pull through."

I'm well aware of how tough my husband is. I did nurse him back to health from the brink of death once before.

But this time it's different. I'm his wife. He's the father of my children. My soul mate. My other half.

A few minutes later, I feel the wind from the hovercraft. Annie has found Haymitch and led him back to us.

As we prepare to load onto the hovercraft and get back to 13 as quick as possible, Peeta opens his eyes and looks at me.

"Hey baby," I soothe, gently stroking his cheek. "You're going to be just fine."

"Kat," he moans.

"Shhh," I shush him. "You just relax. We'll take care of the rest."

"I love you," he manages to eke out. That just makes me cry harder. "Don't cry," he whispers.

"I love you too," I tell him through my tears. "Please come back to me."

We're now on the hovercraft and Finnick has moved him onto a stretcher. He now has access to gauzes and medicine, and he's going to work on Peeta.

Before Peeta passes out, he gazes into my eyes and, his voice strained with obvious pain, whispers one word to me.

"Always."

**A/N: Ha ha ! Another cliffy ! But not really. We all know that Finnick has a penchant for saving Mellarks' lives. **

**That was definitely one of the more darker chapters of this AU, but I felt it was time for mama and papa Mellark to kick some ass. Seriously, how awesome are they?**

**Come on, you had to know I'd be reticent to really kill any of them off. I like the characters too much. Having said that, though, we're still nowhere near done with this story…..**

**I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. It was fun to write. **

**PLEASE go and check out my new story, 'Top Of The World'. I think it's pretty neat. **

**PLEASE read and review! **

**Thanks as always!**

**Now I gotta go watch the G-Men beat the Saints. **


	13. Return

"BP is dropping….I need three pints of O-Neg stat!"

"He's losing too much blood!"

I can barely even register the doctor's voices around me. We finally made it back to 13 and, thankfully, there was a full medical team waiting. They wheeled Peeta down to the hospital wing, and I somehow kept ahold of his hand the whole way, despite being asked by nurses and doctors alike not to.

Now they've just shoved me out of the way. I can barely even see my husband.

"Mrs. Mellark, please, let us work," one of the nicer nurses pleads. "You can wait just outside the door. I promise to let you know his status and when you can see him."

I tear my eyes away from Peeta and look into her eyes. I can tell she's serious and that she's being truthful.

"Okay," I relent, barely able to speak at this point. "Please get me when I can see him. Please."

She nods and leads me out. She sits me down in a plastic chair right outside the operating room's door.

Once she leaves, I'm alone for the first time in a while.

I look down at myself. My uniform is covered in blood. Peeta's blood. It brings tears to my eyes just looking at it.

"Katniss?" I hear Annie's soft voice. I look up and she smiles sadly at me, then walks over and kneels in front of me, taking my hands in hers. "How is he?"

"I don't know," I mumble. "They kicked me out."

"He's strong, Katniss. You know he'd never leave you or the kids."

Oh my god. The kids. I've been so focused on Peeta I haven't even tried to see them, even though we've only been back for a matter of minutes.

Annie sees the distress on my face and guesses correctly.

"Are they at Prim's?" I nod. "I'll go see."

"Thanks, Annie," I say gratefully. She smiles softly and wraps me up in a friendly, reinforcing hug. It makes me feel better.

"I'll be right back."

She slowly walks off, and I'm thankful yet again for having such great friends. Then I remember all the other Victors – some of them had fairly serious, though non-life-threatening, injuries. I'll have to check on them soon too.

I don't know how much time passes, because my thoughts are only of my possibly dying husband, before Annie returns. My head is in my hands, so I hear her before I see her.

"Katniss? There's a few people here to see you," she announces.

I slowly lift my head up and my spirits are raised immensely. Annie and Prim are in front of me, Eve in Annie's arms and Josh in Prim's.

"My babies!" I cry out, tears spilling over my cheeks yet again. I doubt they've even stopped since Peeta got shot.

"Here, change your shirt quickly," Prim holds out one of my plain tees. I look down and am reminded I'm covered in their father's blood. Not the best outfit to be reunited with my kids.

"Thanks, little duck," I give her the best smile I can and dart to my feet. I find a closet across the hall and quickly run in, change my shirt, and run back out.

I sit back in the seat and hold my arms out.

"Who do you want first?" Annie asks.

"I want both my children, please," I answer quietly.

They both smile wide as they hand me my kids, one at a time. They both light up when they recognize me, snuggling in close. I feel partly whole again, feeling their strong heartbeats against my body, the familiar weight of my children reassuring me.

"How's Peeta?" Prim asks softly.

"I don't know," I repeat. "He got shot in the side, protecting me. I would probably be dead if it wasn't for him."

"Oh, Katniss," Prim says sadly. "You know he'd do anything for you and the kids."

"I know," I nod. "I just wish he didn't have to."

"It's our fault," Annie almost whimpers.

"Don't," I glare at her. She gives me a questioning look. "Don't you dare put this on yourself or anyone else. Peeta and I knew what we were doing. And we'd do it again in a heartbeat. We don't leave family behind."

Annie looks stunned, but eventually nods, softly sobbing. Prim slings an arm around her shoulders and lets her cry.

"Speaking of family," Prim grins. "When I called Rye and told him what was happening, he, Nan, and your in-laws showed up and guarded the door. They didn't let anyone in."

"Really?" I ask in disbelief. "Even Peeta's mom?"

"She was the most adamant one," Prim reveals. "She refused to move until she knew you were back. They're waiting until I call them to come see you guys."

"Thanks, Prim."

She waves me off.

"No need. Family, right?"

I smile and nod.

"Family," I echo.

"Mrs. Mellark?" A nurse pops her head out of the door.

"Yes?" I turn and look at her. Her eyes soften when she sees the twins happily cuddling me.

"Your husband is stable. You can come in if you'd like."

"Thank you!" I say excitedly. "Prim, Annie?" I motion to the twins. I don't want to overwhelm Peeta right away.

They gladly take the kids and I ready myself to see Peeta. I smooth my shirt and fiddle with my hair nervously.

"Katniss?" Prim chuckles. I look at her. "We both know he's not going to care what you look like. He just wants you."

I know she's right, so I exhale a deep breath and just go in.

The first thing I notice is all the beeping. His heart rate, his oxygen levels, his blood pressure, all being monitored.

His eyes are closed, but at least some of his color is coming back. His abdomen is wrapped up, similar to when Gale broke his ribs. I whimper out a sob at the sight of him. I'm so, so glad he's alive, but I wasn't sure if he was going to make it for the longest time.

I sit down next to his bed and take his left hand in my hands. I lean down and gently kiss his wedding ring, then lay my head on his hand, emotionally spent.

I lay there for a few minutes, just reveling in hearing him breathing. It's enough to start repairing my heart. Eventually he begins to rustle.

"Kat?" He whispers.

My head shoots up and I smile wide when I see his open eyes.

"I'm right here baby," I quietly respond.

"Are you okay?"

I laugh softly.

"You're the one who got shot and you're asking if I'm okay?" He shrugs and nods. "Yes, Peeta, I'm fine. Thanks to you."

"Just protecting the most important part of my life," he says casually.

"Well thank you," I whisper, leaning up and giving him a sweet kiss on the lips. I thought, for a moment, I'd never get to taste them again. Remembering this, I lightly punch him in the shoulder. "But don't you ever do that again Peeta Mellark!"

"I'm sorry," he gives me the puppy dog eyes. "I couldn't sit there and watch my wife get shot, you know that."

I nod.

"I do. That was very brave, honey. You saved my life. Again."

He smiles softly.

"And when you get out of this hospital bed, you'll get your reward," I wink and he blushes. I feel the need to kiss him again, so I do.

"The kids?" He asks.

"They're right outside," I assure him. He looks relieved. "Peeta, when your family found out that we'd left, they guarded Prim's door. Apparently your mom was the leader. She wouldn't let anyone near them."

"Really?" He looks as stunned as I did.

I nod.

"Yeah. Maybe she is turning around," I ponder.

"Maybe," he smiles.

Just then, the door opens, and a doctor appears, flipping through a chart. He looks up and notices me.

"Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Mellark, I'm Dr. Dreyfuss. I removed the bullet from Mr. Mellark's abdomen."

"What's the prognosis, doc?" Peeta asks.

"Well you were very lucky, Mr. Mellark. Your wife applied pressure to the wound almost immediately. You would have lost a lot more blood if she hadn't, and your chances of survival would have diminished."

Peeta smiles wide at me, and I just shrug slightly.

"However, the bullet did do some internal damage. We had to remove your spleen and part of your pancreas. While we were in there we removed your appendix as well."

"What does that mean?" I ask, worried.

"Well without a spleen, you have to be much more careful about infections and getting sick. We left enough of your pancreas to produce enzymes and insulin, but we'll regulate your blood sugar for a while to make sure."

"Is that it?" I ask.

"Yes, for now. Your husband was very luck you were there, Mrs. Mellark."

"That's not the only reason I'm lucky," Peeta grins. I chuckle and shake my head.

"What about our friends, the other Victors?" I ask nervously.

"Ah. Of course. They're all fine," he explains. "A few broken bones, a few stitches, but overall they'll all be like new soon."

"When can he get out of here?" I ask.

"I'd like to keep him here overnight, but if he's up to walking tomorrow, I don't see why he won't be able to return to your quarters."

"That's great. Thank you, doctor."

"My pleasure, Mrs. Mellark. Mr. Mellark," he nods at us and quietly exits.

I turn back to Peeta and give him a relieved, if not tired, smile. He returns it.

"You scared me, Peeta," I blurt out.

"I know. I'm sorry," he says sadly.

"It's okay. Just – for a while I didn't know if you were going to make it. I couldn't even process it. Just don't ever leave me, okay? I couldn't take it. Please. Stay with me."

"Always, Kat. Always."

"I love you so much Peeta."

"I love you too Katniss. More than ever."

We kiss again, but I cut it short, aware he's still healing. He whimpers but I'm not budging.

"Now are you ready to see your children, daddy?"

"Please!" He begs.

I get up quickly and open the door a crack, motioning to Annie and Prim. They follow me back into the room.

"Hey guys," Peeta greets. "Look who it is!"

Prim gently hands Eve over to Peeta while I take Josh from Annie. After a few minutes with Eve, I switch with Peeta, letting him see his son. It pulls at my heartstrings seeing Peeta gently and softly interacting with our kids again. I was scared they weren't ever going to see their daddy again.

"So how are you doing bro?" Prim asks.

"Much better," Peeta answers with a smile. "They took out my spleen, appendix and part of my pancreas, but I'll probably be able to get out tomorrow they said."

"That's great!" Annie says bubbly. "We were all so worried, Peeta."

"Well I understand I owe you all a thank you," Peeta dutifully explains. "So, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for getting me back to my family."

I can feel the tears making a reappearance. I don't even try to stop them, not now, not after today.

I notice both of the twins' eyes drooping.

"Prim?"

"Yeah Katniss?"

"Would you mind taking the twins back to our place and putting them down? I think they're pretty exhausted."

"Sure," she smiles.

Annie helps her, and they leave after Peeta and I both give our kids a multitude of kisses. I hate to see them go, but they can't spend the night in this hospital room, and I know I'm not going anywhere anytime soon.

When we're alone, I decide it's time to bring something up with Peeta that we need to speak about. He has had me help him move over a bit so I can crawl into bed beside him, on the opposite side of his wound of course. We got pretty good at this the last time he was hurt, when Gale tried to kill us.

"Baby?" I quietly get his attention.

"Hmm?"

"When we were on our way back here, Finnick and I were working on you, and he said something."

"What did he say honey?"

"He said the Capitol knew exactly where they were going to be. Like they were waiting for them. I thought it was a coincidence, but he assured me it wasn't."

"What are you saying Kat?"

"I'm saying it was a set-up. I'm saying there's a traitor among us."

**A/N: So Peeta lives! Of course he does, did you guys really think that I, of all the writers on this site, would kill off Peeta? C'mon, I thought you knew me better than that!**

**I decided to have Peeta's spleen and part of his pancreas, as well as his appendix, removed because that hits close to home with me. I had Chronic Pancreatitis, and in 2010 I had major surgery that removed my entire pancreas, spleen, duodenum, part of my stomach, my appendix, and a procedure called an auto-islet transplant. So, I decided to use a little of my own knowledge to show how Peeta had been hurt. **

**Rut Ro! There's a traitor! Who can it be? Is it just one person or is it a cell? Who knows? Stay tuned to find out. **

**Thanks to everyone for reading and especially for reviewing! It means the world to me!**

**If you haven't yet, and if you haven't do it as a Hannukah present to me, go check out my new story titled 'Top Of The World'. It's modern day AU Peeta and Katniss climbing Mt. Everest. Seriously, how cool is that? So please, go read, review, fave, and follow. I'll love your forever. I promise. **

**Until next time, keep it classy, San Diego. **


	14. Reacquaintance

_**Fair Warning: This chapter ends with a graphic Everlark sex scene. It was about time these two got a release. He he. You've been notified. **_

"A – a traitor?" Peeta asks.

"Yeah," I confirm.

"Who?"

"No clue," I shrug.

He sighs and I do the same.

"Why can't we just live peacefully?" He whispers.

"I know Peeta," I gently caress his face. "But you always told me we'd get through anything together. And we're still together, aren't we?"

His eyes go hard like steel. My determined husband.

"Always," he declares, no room for questions.

"So we'll figure this out. We do have some pretty smart friends, you know," I smirk.

"That we do," he smiles softly. "If anyone can do this, it's us."

I know he means all of us, not just me and him, and it gives me comfort. We have some of the best friends a couple could ask for.

"For now though, I need you to rest and get better, okay baby?"

"Okay," he relents. "You're staying, right?"

"Yes."

"Thank you."

"I am your wife, after all."

"Oh trust me, I know. I thank god every day."

I giggle softly and bury my face in his neck, taking in his scent, even if it is mixed with the sterile smells of the hospital. I feel his hand run through my hair, stroking softly.

We fall asleep like that, curled into one another, as close as we can get.

The next morning, we're woken when a nurse comes in to take Peeta's vitals.

"How's he doing?" I sleepily ask. Peeta's still half-asleep.

"He's doing just fine Mrs. Mellark. If we can get him on his feet, you can take him back to your quarters."

"Thank you."

She nods and quietly exits. I turn and look at Peeta, who's just starting to really wake up.

"Hey," I whisper.

"Morning," he groggily responds.

"The nurse says if you get on your feet I can get you out of here," I explain.

"Sounds great," he grins. I know he wants to get out of here, even if we're just going to our 13-assigned quarters. It feels more like home than anywhere else here.

"Good. You still need to receive your reward, you know," I tell him to give him a little extra incentive.

He freezes and looks at me.

"Not fair, Kat. Not fair."

I smirk.

"All is fair in love and war, Peeta Mellark."

"You're going to get it," he warns.

I lean over and kiss the tip of his nose, teasing him.

"Counting on it," I whisper.

He shakes his head, smiling.

After a couple hours, he manages to walk across the room without my help. I get the doctors, and after a thorough examination, Peeta is released.

They do force him, however, to take a wheelchair back to our place. I push him along.

"Don't get used to this," I tease. "This is a one-time deal."

"Aw, but I was just getting used to Nurse Katniss," he teases back. "Can we at least find a spare nurse's outfit?"

I lean down so my lips are next to his ear.

"Peeta, I thought you understood that when we're alone, neither of us are going to need any 'outfits'."

He shivers and I know I got to him. He he.

We make it back to our room, and when we open the door, are surprised. All of our friends are waiting for us.

"Welcome back!" They exclaim happily when they see Peeta. They're all bandaged and bruised too, but Peeta was the most serious injury.

"Hey guys," Peeta does his best to reciprocate.

I wheel him into the room and help him sit on the couch. I take my place beside him as everyone takes their turns welcoming Peeta.

"Thank you," is the most common phrase uttered. Peeta tries to shrug it off, as do I, but they're not having it.

"Seriously, you two, just take our thanks," Johanna annoyingly says after a while.

"It was nothing guys," Peeta tries.

"No it wasn't!" Annie almost yells. "You two risked your lives to save us. Honestly, thank you."

"It's nothing any of you wouldn't have done for us," I tell them honestly. That seems to sober the room up a bit. "There is something we need to talk about, though," I say more somberly. They nod and everyone takes a seat. "Beetee?"

"We're covered," Beetee assures me. "If anyone tries to listen all they'll get is static."

"Thanks," I smile. "Okay. So Finnick informed me that your 'accident' was anything but. There's a traitor in 13."

There's murmurs and nods all around.

"We need to flush them out," Peeta supplies. "We can't afford any more incidents like that. It was too close as it was."

"Definitely. But how?" Annie asks.

"We feed false information to anyone we suspect and see if it filters through," Haymitch suggests. "For example, we make sure someone we suspect overhears that one of you is going on a mission somewhere or something like that, then we see if the Capitol shows up. Easy."

"That sounds good," Finnick says. "We need to be careful though. They can't know we're on to them."

"Peeta and I can take charge of it," I suggest. "Since we're non-combatants, it'll raise less suspicion. It'll seem like we're just gossiping about our friends."

"Smart, sweetheart," Haymitch praises.

"Yeah. That's genius baby," Peeta adds.

"Okay, it's settled," Haymitch takes charge. "This isn't going to happen overnight, though. It's going to take some time."

Everyone nods in agreement.

"Let's move on to a happier topic," Annie smiles, "like…..Katniss and Peeta getting to see their kids!"

Peeta and I light up at this, and Annie disappears into their room. I can hear her talking with Prim, who apparently stayed here last night with them. We'll have to thank her profusely.

Annie and Prim appear after a minute, each of them holding a twin.

"Look who's back," Prim tells Josh, "it's mommy and daddy!"

Peeta holds out the arm on his good side and I hold both mine out. Prim hands Josh to Peeta while Annie hands over Eve to me. I instantly relax when I feel her familiar weight in my arms. I look over to my boys, and it brings a tear to my eye to see Peeta so happy to see his son, and vice-versa. It yet again reminds me that I can't wait until this stupid war is over so I can give us more children.

I look up to Prim, who is smiling softly.

"Thank you, Prim."

"You're welcome, Katniss. They are my godchildren, after all," she grins.

"Thank you, little sis," Peeta tells her with sincerity. "Thank you so much."

Prim leans over and gives Peeta a kiss on the cheek.

"Anything for my family," she tells us both.

My little duck is growing up. And fast.

Everyone eventually filters out, leaving Peeta and I with our kids after about an hour. The last to leave, of course, were Prim, Haymitch and the O'Dairs. I finally kicked them out, and they all took the opportunity to make a snide remark about me taking Peeta to bed. My response was, 'So what? Jealous?' That shut them up.

Truthfully, though, we just want to spend some time as a family. So, we do just that, quietly sitting together, relishing the silence.

About an hour later, there's a soft knock at the door.

"I'll get it," I whisper to Peeta. I hop up off the couch, Josh on my hip, and crack the door open.

I smile when I see who it is.

It's my mom, my in-laws, and my brothers.

"Hey guys," I greet happily. "Come in, please."

I open the door wide and they all hug me as they enter. Even Peeta's mom. It's a little awkward at first, but I remember what she did for us, and I actually tighten the hug. She seems happily surprised.

Everyone takes a seat and I take my place next to Peeta.

"How are you honey?" My mom asks.

"Much better, thank you," Peeta responds. "I took a bullet to the side. They had to take out my appendix, spleen, and part of my pancreas, but I'm fine now."

"Oh dear," my mom gasps. As a healer, she's well aware of Peeta's injuries and their repercussions. "What about insulin?"

"They left enough of his pancreas to produce insulin and enzymes," I explain. She nods knowingly. "The bullet was meant for me," I say, softer. "He saved my life."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from my son-in-law," my mom instantly responds proudly.

"That was incredibly brave, son," his dad echoes.

"Yeah," Nan smiles, "Peeta saves the day, again," he jokes. We all smile and laugh softly.

I turn to his parents.

"Peeta and I owe you a huge thank you," I emotionally eke out. "We heard what you did. You have no idea what it means for us to know you were protecting our kids."

"We know," his mom quietly replies. "Trust me, Katniss, I've done enough harm to this family. It's about time I started doing some good. They're my grandchildren too, after all, and I'd give my life for you or them in a heartbeat."

Everyone is silent after she speaks, in awe of the sheer honesty of it. She really is turning over a new leaf, proving that she wasn't lying when Peeta and I had that talk with his parents.

"Thank you mom," Peeta says barely above his whisper, but his eyes are locked on mine. "I don't know what I'd do without my family. Any of you."

I can't help it. I lean over and give him a quick kiss on the lips, promising more to come soon.

"I think we should give the happy family some time to get reacquainted," Rye smirks knowingly. "Let's go, guys."

They all get up to leave, but not before a round of hugs and kisses. His mom and I make eye contact, and for once, it's mutually grateful. She's thanking me for taking care of her son, I'm thanking her for protecting our family. Peeta notices and smiles wide at the scene.

Finally, we're alone again. Don't get me wrong, I love our family to death, but right now I need my husband.

"They're tired," Peeta nods to the kids in our arms. "Let's feed them and put them down."

"Sounds good," I agree. I stand up and make my way to the fridge, grabbing a couple bottles. I notice Prim and Annie refilled all the bottles, and we're set for at least a day. Another thing we'll need to thank them for.

We feed our children together, both of us crying softly. It's just such a normal act that both of us weren't sure we'd ever get to do together again. It's almost too emotional. Almost. It's perfect is what it is.

"Thank you, Katniss," Peeta whispers.

"For what?" I ask, genuinely perplexed.

"Everything," he shrugs. "Our marriage, our kids, our life. I might be shot and in the middle of a war, but I've never been happier than I am with you."

"Oh Peeta," I almost cry, "you don't have to thank me baby. This is our life. This is what we both want, what we both need. It's perfect, Peeta, absolutely perfect. And I'm just as, if not more, happy than you."

"Doubtful," he grins.

"Don't you fret," I smirk back, "as soon as we put them down we're both going to be quite happy."

His face goes beet red as he recognizes my tone. I told him he'd get his reward.

The twins finish their bottles and we burp them, after which they both promptly fall asleep in their parent's arms.

We gently place them in their cribs, tuck them in, and kiss their foreheads.

"Kat?"

"Yeah baby?"

"Can you sing to them please?" He almost begs. "I just – I really want to hear you sing right now."

"Of course honey," I smile softly. He sits in a rocking chair and I sit in his lap, between the cribs, careful of his injury.

I sing to them, quietly but with conviction, and Peeta rests his head on my shoulder. When I'm finished he kisses my cheek and thanks me.

"Now take me to bed," I demand.

"I'd love nothing more."

I stand up and tug on his hand, willing him to follow me, which he does so dutifully. I close the bedroom door behind us and turn to face my husband.

"What now?" He asks.

"Lie down, baby," I coax. I help him gently lie back on the bed, on his back. He props his head up under his arm so he can see me, standing before him.

I know what his eyes are asking. He doesn't have to verbalize it. It's what I was planning, anyways.

Slowly, I strip off my clothes one-by-one, starting with my t-shirt. I'm left in my bra and panties, and I can plainly see the desire on his face.

I shake my head when he motions for me to remove them.

"That's your job," I explain. His eyes go even wider.

I crawl on top of the bed until I'm straddling him. I can feel his erection pressing against my thigh, causing my already wet panties to get even more soaked. He reaches up with his free hand, gently caressing my breasts in wonder, slowly working his way around. With expert fingers, he unsnaps my bra and I help him remove it, leaving me topless.

Peeta has seen me naked probably just about every day since we got married, but, every single time, he looks at me like I'm the most precious, beautiful thing in the world to him. It gives me a shiver every time, knowing that it's the real way my husband sees me, that he truly worships me inside and out.

All that are left is my panties, but Peeta is still dressed, even if it's a pair of scrubs from the hospital. I help him gently remove his shirt, then I shimmy down a bit so I can remove his pants.

I smirk up at him as I slide them down, revealing his erection making a tent of his boxers.

"Someone's happy to see me," I tease.

"Oh, so we're going to act like your panties are dry then?" He teases back. I blush, I can't help it.

"Peeta I don't want to hurt you," I say seriously after a moment as I contemplate my next move.

"Don't worry, I'll tell you if anything hurts. I just really need you right now."

"I need you too," I admit happily.

I decide he deserves his reward now, so I quickly remove his boxers and take his erection in my mouth. I've almost perfected this after our almost year of marriage. I know how to drive him wild, how to bring him right to the edge.

He groans in pleasure as I start sucking, in and out, in and out. I take his balls in my hand and massage, knowing it helps bring him to orgasm quicker and harder.

"Oh my god," he moans, "I'm almost there, Kat," he warns after a few minutes. That just cause me to move faster, wanting him to feel as good as possible.

"Ohhhhhh here it comes, baby," he tells me. I nod and keep my eyes focused on his. We're staring into each other's souls and the impact of it almost causes me to faint. We might be in the middle of having sex, or at least getting there, but the love we're sharing with just our eyes is so much more than that.

I feel him tense up then release, and the warmth of his come fills my mouth and drips down the back of my throat. I take his entire length in my mouth again, making sure not a drop escapes me. He watches as I dutifully swallow, shaking his head like he always does in disbelief. After all this time he should be used to it, but it still gets to him, still turns him on immensely.

He tries to pull me up and flip me over, but I'm not having it.

"No," I tell him firmly. "You stay right there, Peeta."

"Um, okay."

"Tonight is all about you, baby," I explain as I wiggle back up to straddling him. "Now let's get you hard again, shall we?"

He sighs happily and lays his head back, smiling wide. I continue my ministrations, hovering over him as I work him with my hand until he's rock hard again. It doesn't take too long, considering he's fondling me with one of his hands.

When I deem him ready, I lift myself up, and, using my hand, guide him to me. We both moan as he fills me up. It's been far too long since I've had him inside me, I decide.

"Oh baby," I groan as I start riding him. "You're so huge."

"You're so warm Kat," he mumbles, "so tight."

I grin saucily and lean down to kiss him, then whisper against his lips.

"I'm yours, baby, forever."

He kisses me again, and we both deepen it, slipping our tongues in each other's mouths as I continue bucking back and forth, up and down. I feel one of his hands slide up my thigh and begin working between my legs, egging me on.

He somehow gets me to come twice before he's even close to finishing again. God how I love this man.

Eventually, he does finish, coming inside me like we both want. He's fairly spent afterwards, considering he just got out of the hospital. That's why I made sure I did most of the work, I didn't want to stress his injuries.

I collapse next to him, giving him a series of wet kisses.

"Are you feeling okay?" I ask, motioning to his bandaged abdomen.

"I feel great baby," he smiles sweetly. "Thank you."

"I told you you'd get rewarded for your heroism," I remind him with a grin.

"If that was my reward I'll have to be your hero more often."

"Peeta," I say seriously. He sees that and nods. "As much as I love you for doing that, please, let's try and make this a one-time thing. I was sitting in that chair, not knowing if I'd ever get to kiss you again. I don't want to feel that way ever again, okay?"

"I'll try my best," he answers honestly. "But let's be completely honest Kat. We might get in a situation like yesterday where we don't have a choice. And I don't have to tell you, do I? Your life will always come before mine. Always."

I nod after a moment, knowing he's right. As much as I want him safe, I realize this is a war, and we're in the thick of it, even if we made a deal to stay out of combat.

He sees my distress.

"Katniss, look at me." I do, and see the softness in his eyes. "I will do my absolute best to stay out of those situations, I promise. I love you more than anything. I love our children. I want our life back in 12, that peaceful existence where you hunt and I bake. That's our future baby, we have to believe it."

"I do believe it," I assure him, cradling his face with my left hand. He takes it and kisses my palm then my wedding ring softly. "I do, Peeta. I want that more than anything. I want to give us more children. But we need both of us to do that," I smile.

"We sure do," he smiles back.

"I love you, Peeta Mellark."

"I love you, Katniss Mellark."

We fall asleep like that, naked, in each other's arms, our faces gently touching.

The last thought that runs through my mind is that we're going to make it. Peeta and I will do anything to get our life back.

**A/N: So they have a plan to flush out the traitor/traitors. We'll have to wait and see if it works!**

**It was about time they had some hanky-panky time. The last few chapters have been, well, kind of depressing, so I figured some intimate time was deserved. **

**It's been quite an interesting time writing the developing relationship between Katniss and Peeta's mom. I find myself going back and re-reading chapters of 'It Was A Lie' while writing this story, both to remind myself of character developments and because it seems like so long ago that I wrote that story. It's been quite a ride, hasn't it?**

**I want to thank each and every one of my faithful readers. You guys are really too amazing. I can't tell you how appreciative I am of the praise and kind words I receive every time I post a new chapter. Seriously, you guys are too much. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I feel so luck and grateful to know that my writing is appreciated. **

**If you haven't, I'm going to ask again. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE go check out my new story called 'Top Of The World'. It's modern day AU Everlark, learning to love while climbing mountains. It combines three of my favorite things: Climbing, writing, and Everlark fluff. And you guys know if my stories are good for anything, it's Everlark fluff. PLEASE go read and review. I posted a new chapter last night and I've only gotten like FIVE OR SIX reviews! Come on! One of them only said 'Yay!', and that alone made me smile for like an hour! Take the five seconds and post something to let me know you loved or hated it! I really do appreciate it. **

**I will probably be posting the next chapter of 'Top Of The World' sometime tonight (Eastern Standard Time). **

**Until next time, keep doing what you're doing. Love you guys. And gals. **

**Keep reviewing and reading…..**


	15. A Prayer for Connecticut

A/N: No, this is not a new chapter, and for that I apologize.

I felt it necessary to post a few words about the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut.

I was born not too far from Newtown, in Bridgeport. I was raised in a small town, not unlike Newtown, in southeastern Connecticut, although I now reside in Florida.

My heart goes out to the families affected by this horrible tragedy. I cannot fathom what they are going through, but I hope they know the nation is behind them.

It's difficult to imagine such a despicable, heinous act being committed in Connecticut. Growing up there, I always felt pride at the people of Connecticut and our resilience, brains, politeness, and capability for love. It saddens me to know that something so terrible occurred in my home state.

I just wanted to post this, to express my deep condolences and hope for a brighter future. Maybe now we can have an intelligent debate on gun laws in this country, although I lament it took a tragedy like this to bring it to the forefront.

Lastly, I wanted to post a prayer that was shared in my Synagogue this morning. I'm a practicing Jew, but I'm well aware that not everyone in this world believes in a higher power. But this has helped me, so maybe it will help someone else. A Rabbi in California crafted it, using various Torah quotes and other meaningful words. I hope it brings a sense of peace in these trying times.

'A Prayer in Wake of a School Shooting'

By Menachem Creditor

_In mourning and solidarity with the community of Newtown, Connecticut_

_Adonai, _

_Your children and teachers_

_Are dead and wounded. _

_Our souls are burning with anguish. _

_Until when, Adonai? (Ps. 6:3)_

_How long must we fear?_

_You have given us the tools of progress,_

_And we wield them to hurt. _

_Our plowshares have jagged edges,_

_And children are dying. _

_We have sinned. _

_And we continue to sin. _

_We have not done what we can. _

_We could have saved precious lives_

_By changing our ways_

_And we have not._

_Your children, our children,_

_Dead and wounded. _

_We ask You, Adonai, for_

_The strength to face what numbs us,_

_The strength to hear the screams,_

_The resolve to not let our vulnerability make_

_Us feel powerless. _

_We are not. _

_Adonai, we are your images,_

_And we are being erased. _

_We are erasing ourselves,_

_And in doing so we are erasing You. _

_We have so much accursed power._

_It is the curse of this power_

_And the sin that waits by the door (Gen 4:7)_

_That leads us to permit evil,_

_Which is the same as doing it ourselves,_

_Which is the same as erasing the Holy Name. _

_Your Name. _

_Dear God, this hurts so much._

_Teach us, Guide us,_

_Make us save each other. _

_Dear vulnerable images of God,_

_Here and everywhere,_

_We pray that you,_

_In God's Name,_

_And in the name of those souls we have lost,_

_Remember that comforting each other might_

_Come first, _

_But the need will come again if nothing_

_Changes. _

_We can master this evil. (Gen 4:7)_

_May this world know no more hatred and_

_Violence. _

_May people live in peace. _

_Amen. _

_**A/N 2: Now, by no means do I believe that God, or whatever incarnation anyone might believe in, can or will fix this for us. This is a human issue. As long as we ignore it, it will keep occurring. As long as we brush mental health issues and the age-old gun question under the rug, we'll keep having Columbines and Newtowns. We, as a nation and a world, have to stand together to change this. We must. We can not afford to lose anymore innocents. **_

_**Thank you for listening and reading, and for your prayers. We must remember, but at the same time heal and look forward. Sadly, us Jews have gotten good at that. **_

_**Thank you for your time. **_

_**I don't know if I'll feel up to writing today, so don't expect a new chapter of either of my stories. But, if I do end up posting, it'll be that much sweeter, right?**_

_**My heart, prayers, and hope goes out to Newtown. **_

_**-Josh**_


	16. Paintballing

I'm happy that Peeta slept through the night, even if I had to get up multiple times to take care of the kids. He needs the rest more than me. He tried to get up once but I gently put him back to bed.

Today I have to teach our class, alone, because obviously Peeta can't. I'm not really nervous, just a little anxious at dealing with all the cadets at once. It'll sure be interesting.

"Are you taking the twins?" Peeta asks as I get dressed. He's still lying in bed, relaxing. I brought him some breakfast a little while ago.

"I don't know," I answer. "You think you can take care of them here?"

"Yeah," he smiles, "and I can always call Finnick or Annie or Prim if I need anything."

"Okay," I agree. "But if something serious comes up, get me."

"Yes, mom," he teases.

I walk over and give him a long kiss.

"I'll be back as soon as I can baby."

"I'll be waiting."

I give him one more quick kiss then I'm out the door. It's weird walking the halls without Peeta. I miss the warmth of his hand in mine, the safety that comes with his presence. I sigh and shake the thoughts out of my head, intent on being focused for my class if I'm to turn these people into soldiers.

I make another turn down a long hallway. I can feel my braid swinging back and forth on my back. Peeta braided it for me this morning. We both love when he does that.

"That's one nice ass," I hear a male soldier behind me comment. I felt two soldiers following me, but thought nothing of it until now.

"I bet the front side is even nicer," his friend adds. They both laugh.

I wonder for a moment if they know who I am, considering I have my last name in huge letters on the back of my shirt.

"Ten bucks says I can get her back to my room by dinner," the first one says confidently.

"Oh you're so on," his friend answers.

I stop dead in my tracks and spin around. They freeze, caught in the act. I guess they didn't think I could hear them.

They don't make any moves, so I take the opportunity.

"Privates, are we not saluting in this army anymore? Did I miss the memo?" I sternly reprimand them. They should have snapped to attention and saluted as soon as I turned around. My rank is plainly stated on my shirt. It says 'Col. K. Mellark'.

They listen and salute me, and I make them hold it for a few seconds before I salute back.

"Now, what was it you were saying?" I ask.

"Nothing ma'am," the one on the left answers. His nametag reads 'Nybert'. His friend is 'Del Rio'.

"I'm pretty sure I heard something," I insist, feigning stupidity. "And if I did hear correctly, I'm sure there's something in the code of conduct that applies here."

"Um, uh, sorry ma'am," Nybert stumbles.

"Excuse me?" I shoot back. "After the things I just heard you say, all you can say is that you're sorry?"

"We apologize profusely, Colonel," Del Rio adds. "It won't happen again."

"You're damn right it won't happen again. Who's your CO?"

"Colonel O'Dair," Nybert answers.

"Which one?"

"Finnick O'Dair, ma'am," he clarifies. Oh this is too good.

"Let's go," I motion.

"Where are we going ma'am?" Del Rio asks nervously.

"To talk to your CO, of course," I say flippantly. Their eyes widen as they dutifully fall into step.

I remain silent as we make our way to where I know Finnick is, to keep them guessing as to what's going to happen.

We find Finnick going over some files, Annie sitting with him quietly.

"Colonel O'Dair," I greet him formally with a slight smirk.

"Colonel Mellark," he nods back. "What brings you to my neck of the woods?"

"I just met two of your Privates," I explain. "They said some things, and I thought you'd want to see them."

"Ah, I see," Finnick says seriously. "Privates, step forward."

They step up and stand at attention, saluting Finnick. He returns it quickly.

"What happened soldiers?"

"We were walking behind Colonel Mellark, sir, and we said some inappropriate things," Nybert replies.

"What kind of things?" Finnick probes.

Both of them blanche, their jaws hanging open.

"They were commenting on my physique," I tell Finnick. He tries to hide his smile. Annie just shakes her head. "Then they made a bet that they could get me in bed."

That pisses Finnick off.

"What!?" He yells. "Tell me this isn't true, Privates!"

"It's true, sir," Del Rio says nervously.

Finnick's face turns bright red in anger. I've never seen him like this.

"You're both going in the stockade," Finnick informs them. "You're hereby stripped of your rank. Report immediately to the stockade on level B56. Get out of my sight."

They turn to leave, but I step in front of them before they do.

"Wait," I hold up my hand. They look at me questioningly.

I rear back and punch Nybert square in the face. He falls flat on his ass.

"That should teach you not to fuck with married women," I spit. "Get out of here."

They scurry out, Finnick's aide-de-camp escorting them.

"Thanks, Finnick," I sigh as I plop down in a seat.

"No problem. Thanks for bringing them here. I won't stand for that under my command."

"Aren't you teaching today?" Annie asks.

I look at my watch.

"Shit," I mutter. "Gotta go guys. Thanks again."

I almost run out of the office and down the hall. I make it to the classroom with a minute to spare.

Most of the class is already seated on the bleachers, and when I enter, the rest join them and quietly wait.

I stand in front of them. I guess I'll have to get over my fear of public speaking if I'm going to teach.

"Good morning, class," I greet.

"Good morning Colonel!" They reply in unison.

"I don't know if you are all aware, but my husband is currently recovering from a gunshot wound sustained in the field. I will be teaching this class by myself until he's well enough to join me. Are there any questions so far?"

"Is it true he got shot protecting you?" A girl in the back asks.

"Yes," I nod. "He was protecting me when he was shot. I most likely would not be standing here if he hadn't done what he did."

"We hope he gets better soon," Madge says loudly. I smile at her.

"Thank you, Cadet Undersee."

She smiles back.

"Okay, let's get started," I address everyone again. "First let's warm up with a three mile run around the track."

I hear groans come from the bleachers.

"Okay, let's make it four miles for the backtalk," I gravely say. I'm met with silence as they make their way to the track to begin their run. I'm not screwing around today.

I walk over and grab Madge's arm before she can start to run.

"Cadet, come with me please."

She follows me as I walk towards the middle of the huge space, where I can see the class running easiest.

"Madge, I'm going to need your help today, okay?" I ask.

"Yes, Colonel," she replies sharply.

"Madge when it's just us call me Katniss," I gently tell her. "It's okay."

"Okay, Katniss," she smiles. "How's Peeta doing?"

"He's much better, thanks," I smile wide thinking about him. "I brought him back to our room last night and we spent some time with our family."

"That's great!" She says with obvious enthusiasm. "So what do you need my help with?"

"Running the class until Peeta gets back," I explain. "I know you're still a Cadet, but I trust you more than anyone here, so you're going to be my assistant. Is that okay?"

"Sounds great," she replies. "Anything you need."

"Good. Now go join the rest of the class," I motion towards the track.

"Yes ma'am," she says as she sprints off.

They finish their run in a respectable time and I give them thirty seconds to get water. After, they kneel around me in the center.

"We're going to have do some different disciplines since I'm alone," I begin. "First, we're going to do a simulated battle. I'm going to split you up into two teams, Red and Blue, and we're going to use paintball guns."

They all seem excited, and I have to admit that I am too. There's a pretty awesome indoor course set up to simulate urban combat.

I line them up and divide them up equally, making sure that neither team has an abundance of the stronger Cadets. I join the Blue team.

I lead them to the paintball course, and motion towards all the protective gear.

"Let's suit up. Everyone must wear a face mask and a chest protector."

Everyone's ready in a matter of minutes, and I give a quick tutorial on how to use a paintball gun and the rules. It's a simple game of capture-the-flag.

Each team lines up at opposite ends of the course, touching the wall. There's two referees, and they count it down.

A few on both sides immediately run straight down the middle, and they're easily picked off. I take cover immediately. I assign two Cadets to guarding the flag, telling them they're not to leave their post under any circumstance.

I start making my way up the right side, diving from cover to cover, holding off on shooting which would reveal my position. I notice my team making a ruckus on the other side, distracting the Red defenders.

I stand up and quickly dart across the halfway line into their territory, barely making it behind a pillar before I'm spotted.

I turn the corner and come face-to-face with a barrel.

"Got you, bitch," Scarlet snivels. Great.

I put my hands up in the classic sign of surrender. She hasn't shot me yet, so I'm technically still alive.

"I'm going to enjoy this," she continues. I roll my eyes. Always so dramatic.

She lines up her shot, taking her sweet time, and is about to pull the trigger when a pink paintball explodes on her mask, throwing her head back.

"Ahh!" She yells. The referee who happens to be a few feet away signals her out.

I turn and find Madge ten feet behind me, her weapon still raised and aimed, covering me.

"I got your back Colonel," she says confidently before joining me behind cover.

"Good shooting Cadet," I grin.

"I always hated that girl," she tells me. We both laugh softly.

"Let's take them down," I suggest.

She nods.

We continue creeping up the sideline, covering each other's advances. I peek around a corner and count three Red team members guarding the flag. We have to grab it and make it back to our side to win the round.

I quickly formulate a plan of attack with Madge. I'm going to take the two on the right and she'll take the one on the left. My advantage is that my guys are facing away, but Madge's target is facing us. She'll be completely exposed as she makes her shot.

"Ready?" I ask.

"Ready," she confirms.

I spin around and take my shooting stance, quickly aiming for the back of the first targets head. I let it fly. Before it even impacts, I'm already aiming at the second guy's head. I don't want to give him any time to react.

Both of them are out in a second. I swing my aim over the where Madge's target was, and find him trying to wipe paint off his mask so he can see the way out. The path to the flag is clear.

"It's clear Colonel," I hear Madge call out.

I explode into a dead sprint, barely slowing down when I grab the flag.

"Cover the Colonel!" Madge yells out to everyone. She darts in front of me, clearing the path, shooting as she runs.

It's exhilarating, even if it is just a game.

We win the first round easily when I make it to our side without a drop of paint on me.

"Well done team!" I commend everyone. "Everyone gather up," I call to the entire class. Everyone from the Red team and the people who were out make their way to the middle and kneel around me.

"Okay, Blue team takes the first round. Can anyone tell me what Red did wrong that time?" I ask.

There's silence for a few moments before Madge of all people speaks up.

"They focused too much on the left side. They saw a bunch of people and forgot about the other side."

"Exactly. Cadet Undersee nailed it. While the defenders were busy on the left side, Cadet Undersee and I made it to the flag with almost no resistance using the right side. The lesson here is that no matter what goes on, you must remember the overall battle plan and cover all your sectors. If this were a real battle, Red team would have been flanked, enveloped, and decimated. That's unacceptable."

There's nods of understanding all around.

"Now, want to go again?" I ask.

"Yes ma'am!" Is the chorused reply.

We play five more rounds, Red team winning two. Each time, we circle up and go over what happened, comparing it to real-life situations. More and more Cadets speak up, showing that they are in fact learning.

After we're done playing paintball, we break for lunch. I grab some food from the cafeteria and bring it back to the room, not caring about regulations.

"There's mommy!" Peeta says happily as I walk through the door. He's on the couch with Eve in his lap, while Prim is on the floor playing with Josh.

"Hey," I smile as I lean down to give Peeta a kiss. I give Eve one on the top of her head.

"How was class?" Peeta asks when I sit down next to him. I take Eve out of his lap and bring her close to me, propping her on my shoulder.

"Actually it was great," I grin. "We played paintball."

"No," Peeta smirks. "I wanted to play!"

"We can do it again," I assure him. He nods happily. "How's everything here?"

"Fine," Peeta answers. "They slept for a good chunk of the morning, then Prim came over and we've just been hanging out."

"Yeah?" I ask Eve. "You've been hanging out with daddy?"

She gurgles something unintelligible, but she looks happy.

"Any progress on the traitor?" Peeta asks quietly.

"No," I shake my head. "I'm keeping my ears to the ground, but like Haymitch said, it might take a while."

"Yeah. It's just scary, you know?"

"Definitely," I agree. "We'll find them out, honey."

"I know."

Peeta grabs my free hand and intertwines our fingers. I sigh happily, the warmth of his hand in mine comforting me.

"What do you have to do this afternoon?" He asks.

"Nothing," I shrug. "I don't teach again until tomorrow morning, and we can't do any Propos until you get better."

"Thank god," he mumbles. I smile. I agree.

We spend a few minutes just relaxing, Prim and Josh having a ball on the floor.

Peeta leans over and whispers in my ear.

"Do you think we could spend some of the afternoon in our bedroom?" He whispers.

My body instantly responds, sending a tingling sensation down my spine. He slowly rubs his thumb on the back of my hand, inadvertently driving me wild at the soft contact.

"Prim?" I barely eke out. She looks up to me. "How would you like to babysit the twins over at your place for a few hours?"

She smirks and shakes her head.

"You two are unbelievable sometimes," she admonishes.

"Sorry?" I say, more a question than a statement.

"Don't apologize," she waves me off. "You're not too subtle, you know. I'll take my niece and nephew. I don't want them traumatized at such a young age," she teases.

"Thanks Prim," I try to smile but she's thoroughly embarrassed me.

"Yeah, thank you sis," Peeta adds.

"You should thank me," she jokes as she grabs the diaper bag. "Come get them whenever you want," she says as I help her strap them into their stroller.

She leaves without further teasing, leaving Peeta and me alone.

"So…..," I prompt.

"So…," Peeta echoes.

"Let's cut the bullshit and fuck," I blurt out.

His eyes widen and go glassy.

"Yes, ma'am!"

**A/N: So, Katniss has to teach by herself for a while, and it's going to take some time to find the traitor or traitors. Who could it be? Dun dun dun. **

**Thanks as always for reading and reviewing. I'm constantly blown away by the sheer number of readers, faves, follows, and reviews that I receive. I'm truly blessed. Thank you. **

**I'm also blown away by the reaction to my new story, 'Top Of The World'. I'm glad people are enjoying it, because it's been one of my favorite stories to write so far. Please go and check it out if you haven't already!**

**Once again, my prayers and thoughts go out to my home state of Connecticut. **


	17. Anniversary

_Three Weeks Later_

Today is Peeta's and my first anniversary. I was never big on celebrating holidays and such, but, like he always does, Peeta convinces me. I actually am finding myself extremely excited.

He healed fairly quickly from his gun shot wound, and joined me teaching two weeks ago. I was thankful that I didn't have to keep teaching solo, even though I was doing a fine job.

We're really no closer to finding out who has been betraying us. There haven't been many missions leaving 13, just battles within the actual Districts. It's frustrating, but we knew it would take time.

I'm laying here in bed, waiting for our alarm, watching Peeta sleep from my position on his chest. I think back to one year ago today, when I asked him to marry me.

I still have trouble believing that I actually said the words. I'd just blurted them out, but I knew as soon as I did they were from my heart. They were the truth. It's like I've told him, there was no way I was going to bed that night without being his wife. Without being Katniss Mellark.

I remember how his entire demeanor changed when he understood that I was serious. I've never seen him happier, maybe at the birth of our children, or our actual wedding and toasting. He was in awe, floating on a cloud, just like me.

Then, we got married. It was simple and quick, but I will remember every detail for the rest of my life. How joyful Peeta was when I took his last name and signed our marriage license. How I was having trouble really believing it was real, and hurrying Peeta to sign the license as fast as he could. Then we looked each other in the eye as the Mayor married us legally, and wore our rings for the first time.

But the highlight of that night, at least until we made it to the bedroom, was our toasting. It was perfection. It was just the two of us sitting in front of the warm, crackling fire. It really shows how our relationship had come full circle. He once gave me burnt bread to save my life, at our toasting he gave me burnt bread to start my new one.

Our vows are forever etched in my mind. They were beautiful, heartfelt, and loving. That was when I fully admitted to Peeta, and to myself, that I wanted to have his children. That I was ready to have our children.

So, then, we went upstairs and did just that. We conceived our beautiful twins.

"What are you thinking about?" I hear Peeta softly whisper. I hadn't even noticed his eyes were open. I smile up at him.

"Our wedding."

He smiles wide and I lean up to kiss him.

"Happy first anniversary," I whisper against his lips.

"Happy anniversary baby," he whispers back.

"Can you believe it's been a year?" I ask in wonderment.

He shrugs.

"Not really. It's gone by almost too fast, hasn't it? You were pregnant for most of it, then we had our hands full with the kids."

"I wouldn't trade a single second of the past year for anything," I declare.

He beams at me.

"Me either."

"Peeta I'm sorry we couldn't get each other gifts. It's not like we can run out to the store or anything."

"I know. It's fine Kat," he assures me. "But I do have a little surprise planned for this afternoon."

"Peeta Mellark! What have you got up your sleeve?"

He motions zipping his mouth shut.

"Not telling, Mrs. Mellark. I will not be persuaded to talk."

He knew exactly what saying that would do.

I sit up and rest back on my legs. I reach down, crossing my hands and grab the hem of my shirt. I slowly, tantalizingly, lift it up and take it off.

He reaches up to massage my breasts but I slap his hand away.

"Nope," I shake my head. "Tell me."

He shakes his head back defiantly. We're both grinning like idiots.

I decide to play rougher. I reach over and grasp his semi-erection through his boxers, slowly stroking.

"Oh god," he moans.

I snicker and as soon as he starts moaning louder, take my hand away.

"That's just plain mean," he whines.

"Tell me and I'll finish."

"I don't want to. I really want to surprise you honey," he says with conviction.

I sigh. I can tell this means a lot to him from just the tone of his voice. He's serious.

"Okay," I nod slightly.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Hey Katniss?"

"Yes Peeta?"

"Can we have anniversary sex now?"

I smirk and replace my hand where it was. I finally let him move his to my chest.

It's going to be a good day.

-o-

We've just gotten back to the room after eating lunch. We feed the kids, burp them, and put them down for a nap. All their aunts and uncles wore them out in the cafeteria.

Suddenly there's a knock at the door. I'm closest so I swing it open. It's Johanna, Annie, Madge, Delly, and Prim.

"Hey!" I say, genuinely surprised. "What's up?"

Before anyone has time to respond or anything, Johanna has grabbed me by the arm and yanked me out of the room into the hallway.

"What's going on?" I ask, almost frantically.

"Relax, brainless," Johanna replies. "This is part of cinnamon bun's surprise. Just go with it, okay?"

"Okay," I give them a soft smile. I see my mom make her way into our room, and I assume she's helping with the kids or something.

They lead me down the hallways, taking seemingly random turns, until we apparently arrive at our destination. We all pile into the room.

"Cinna!" I yell when I see him. I give him a big hug and he returns it.

"Hey there Mrs. Mellark," he greets.

"Cinna what's all this about?" If anyone will tell me the truth, it'll be my stylist.

"You don't know yet?" He asks.

I shake my head.

"You'll figure it out soon enough. Come on, let's begin."

I take a shower, not letting anyone in the bathroom with me. I once told Peeta he was the only man (or woman for that matter) who would ever see his wife naked, and I meant it. Once I'm finished I put on the bra and panties Cinna provided. They're white. I slip into a robe. I step out into the room and only Cinna is waiting for me.

"Ready to see what you're wearing?" He asks.

I nod, still not knowing what the hell is going on.

He disappears for a few second but reappears with a garment bag. He unzips it.

"Oh my god," I gasp.

It's a beautiful, gorgeous, white wedding dress.

It all clicks.

I know what Peeta's arranged.

"We're renewing our vows," I say as a statement rather than a question.

"Yes," Cinna confirms with a smile.

I can't help smiling as huge as I can. This is perfect. Peeta understood that a small part of me wanted the traditional wedding, and he's giving me one. We both know our wedding was absolutely perfect, and we'd never change a thing about it, but this is amazing.

"I take it from the look on your face you're happy about this?"

"Absolutely," I nod. "I can't wait."

"Let's make sure you look perfect for that husband of yours."

I sit down and he does my makeup and hair. We keep the makeup light and natural, just the way Peeta tells me he likes it. He really prefers me without any, but if I have to, this is what he likes. When Cinna asks how to do my hair, I tell him to do an intricate braid similar to the one I wore in the Games. I know how much Peeta loves my braid. He can spend hours running his fingers up and down it if I let him. Once he braids my hair, he places several small white flowers in my hair. I have to admit it looks beautiful. I look beautiful.

Finally it's time for the dress. I slip the robe off as Cinna prepares it. He helps me slide it on over my head, being careful of my hair. He helps me into a pair of white heels and I step over to the full-length mirror.

I'm stunned. Shocked, really.

The dress is rather simple, really. Cinna knows Peeta and me really well, and knew something flashy and Capitol-like would be the last thing we wanted. So he's designed a simple, pure wedding dress. It only has one shoulder strap, leaving my left shoulder bare. It flows down to just above the ground.

"Well?" He asks.

"It's perfect," I admit. "Thank you, Cinna."

"You're most welcome," he smiles at me through the mirror. "Oh! Almost forgot."

He walks quickly to the desk and grabs something. He comes behind me and I realize what it is. The locket Peeta gave me the morning of the Reaping. I'd taken it off to shower.

"Thanks," I smile once I feel the familiar weight around my neck. The only jewelry I'm wearing is the locket and my wedding ring.

"We'd better get you going. Don't want you to be late, now do we."

I laugh and follow him. We exit the room, and all the girls are there waiting. I notice they're all in dresses as well.

"Oh, Katniss," Prim eyes widen. "You're stunning!"

"Thanks little duck," I smile. "You look beautiful."

Everyone else lets me know just how good I look, and I tell them they all look good too. Because they do.

They lead me again through a few hallways until we're standing in front of two huge double doors. Prim, Johanna, Delly and Madge disappear, leaving just Annie and me.

"There's my girls," Finnick says as he round the corner, smiling at us. "You both look beautiful." He looks pretty good too in a sleek black tuxedo.

"Thanks," we reply in unison.

"I'm assuming since you two are here with me that you're the maid of honor and best man, or whatever the equivalent is in this ceremony?" I ask.

"Yup," Finnick smiles. "Figured we'd pay back the favor."

"You know Peeta and I wouldn't have it any other way."

Annie smiles.

"We know," she nods.

Just then I hear music from behind the doors.

"Ah! Our cue!" Finnick exclaims.

He takes Annie's arm in his and they disappear through the doors. I try to get a glimpse but I can't really make anything out. Then I realize I'm alone and I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing. Do I go in now? Do I wait?

"About that time, sweetheart."

Haymitch appears next to me, surprisingly clad in a tuxedo as well. He sees the confused look on my face.

"I'm here to walk you down the aisle," he explains.

"Thank you," I say sincerely. "You're the only person I'd want to."

"I know, sweetheart. You and the kid are like some screwed up version of my children anyways." We both laugh.

The music stops and I hear the traditional wedding march softly playing.

"That's us, sweetheart. Ready?"

I turn to him as I loop my arm in his.

"Take me to my husband."

We walk towards the doors and they swing open, revealing the large room to me. It's beautiful. There are about a hundred various people here, from District 12 residents to Generals and citizens of 13. Haymitch and I start slowly making our way down the aisle. I glance quickly around and am truly stunned at how pretty everything is. There's all kinds of beautiful flowers everywhere, and no gaudy, Capitol decorations. It's simple, it's perfect, and it's definitely me and Peeta. I also notice the cameras, but I expected those. It doesn't bother me, not today. I'm way too happy.

That's when my eyes find my husband.

He's waiting for me at the altar, one of the biggest smiles I've ever seen on his face. He's in a black tuxedo, and he looks absolutely dashing. Our eyes meet and the love shared almost overwhelms me. I can tell he's a little relieved, like he wasn't sure if I'd like this surprise.

Closer to the front now, I'm about ready to just run to Peeta and smother him with kisses. But I know I can't. Not yet, at least.

Finally, after what seems like an eternity, we reach him. Haymitch takes my hand and places it into Peeta's, then moves around to address us both.

"Nobody deserves happiness more than you two."

With that, he goes and sits next in the front row. I notice Prim holding Josh and my mom holding Eve. Both of them are looking right at me, and the urge to hold them almost overpowers me.

Peeta gently leads me up to the altar and I take my spot next to Annie while Peeta stands next to Finnick. I'm glad to see it's not Coin officiating. Rather, it's Mayor Undersee. Perfect.

"Welcome," he begins. "We've gathered here today, on this joyous occasion, to celebrate the love of two very special individuals. I'm sure I don't need to explain who they are or what they've been through. Today is Peeta and Katniss Mellark's one year anniversary, and we have come together to witness them renew their vows to one another."

I take a quick glance at the crowd and see a few of my friends already dabbing their tears away. I feel like crying in joy too, but somehow manage to hold it in for now. I turn back and look to Peeta. Both our hands are joined between us and we almost tune out the rest of the world. To us, there's just each other.

"Peeta, you may begin," Mayor Undersee prompts.

"Thank you Mayor," Peeta smiles in gratitude. He grips my hand harder and I squeeze back, relishing the contact. "Katniss. Kat. My wife. The mother of my children. My soul mate. I could go on all day describing who you are, but we'd never leave the room if I did that." There's soft chuckles all around and I let out a small giggle. "I just want you to always know how much I truly love you. It's indescribable. There's no words that I could utter to ever do it proper justice. It transcends any earthly description. When I look at you, no matter what we're doing, my heart skips a beat. When I kiss you, I never want it to end. When it's just the four of us, you, me and our wonderful, beautiful children, just relaxing at home and goofing around, I know that there's no place in the world I'd rather be. You're my best friend, my lover, my confidant, and the most important thing in my life. You are my life. I vow to prove that to you every day for the rest of our lives. I want you to know, every day, that my love for you only grows. I vow to always love you, cherish you, protect you, remember your birthday, hold you through the nights and kiss you whenever you want. I vow to always be there for you and our children, no matter what, because you are my family."

Now, I'm crying.

It doesn't escape me either that he's relayed the same vows we spoke to each other at our toasting. It warms my heart that he remembered it, word for word, just like I do.

Peeta quickly reaches up and wipes my tears away with his thumb. I can't help myself. I grab his hand and kiss his palm, then lay a kiss on his wedding ring. I can hear the audience sighing, but I block them out.

Peeta's looking at me expectantly, and I realize suddenly I have to say something. I didn't even know about this until like an hour ago, but I will just speak from my heart. It's worked in the past with Peeta.

"That was beautiful honey," I tell him first. He smiles. "Peeta. My husband. The father of my children. My one and true soul mate. This last year has been the best of my life. We've spent every single day of it learning how to love and live, together. You've taught me so many wonderful things, from the simplicity of mixing paints to the often frustrating act of changing diapers." I hear laughs again and Peeta chuckles softly. "But most of all, Peeta, you have taught me how to love. You've taught me how to love fiercely, without reservation, with my entire heart. That is how I love you. You're right, it's indescribable. When I look into your eyes, no matter what mood I'm in, I just know everything's going to be okay as long as I have you by my side. Thank you, Peeta, thank you for everything. For giving me a chance after everything I put you through. For marrying me. For loving me without restraint, even with all my flaws. Thank you for our children. They light up our lives like nothing else can. And, just like a year ago, I'm making you a promise. We are going to have more children. I cannot wait to expand our family, to share our endless love with another perfect baby that's a beautiful blend of you and me. I vow to always love you, cherish you, protect you, hold you through the nights, and kiss you whenever you want. I love you, Peeta Mellark, and just like yours, my love grows every single day. I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you, loving, living and sharing. I love you."

I take a breath after I finish, not really knowing half of what I said, considering I just blurted it all out. But from the radiant smile on Peeta's face and the tears streaming down his cheeks, I know I did well.

Just like he did for me, I reach up with my left hand and gently wipe his tears. He kisses my palm then lays a kiss on my wedding ring.

"It is my pleasure to introduce, for the second time, Peeta and Katniss Mellark!" Mayor Undersee happily announces.

After the inevitable applause dies down, Peeta and I both turn and stare at the Mayor. It takes him a second, but he gets it.

"Oh! Sorry. Peeta, you may kiss your wife."

We meet halfway, and it's one of the more emotional kisses we've shared. It's not passionate or wild like some of our kisses in bed, this is one filled with promises of the future and the love we share.

After we kiss, I turn to Annie and Peeta turns to Finnick. I give Annie a kiss on the cheek and we embrace.

"Thank you for being here," I whisper.

"Wouldn't miss it for anything, Mrs. Mellark."

Mayor Undersee announces that there will be a reception in the adjoining hall, and the audience begins filing out.

Peeta and I have a different target right now. We both wordlessly descend off the altar and head straight for our children.

When I have Eve back in my arms, my world is complete. I look over at my boys and my heart almost bursts in pure happiness.

Peeta leans over, kisses my ear and then whispers.

"You truly do look gorgeous, Mrs. Mellark. I hope you liked your surprise."

I smile and lean up to kiss him on the lips.

"I love this, Peeta. It was perfect. Just perfect."

He smiles wide and makes a funny face at Josh, who giggles.

Then, on a whim, I lean up and whisper in Peeta's ear.

"You'd better be ready to re-create our wedding night, Mr. Mellark."

He almost automatically blushes and I giggle at how cute it is.

See, I knew this was going to be a good day.

**A/N: Awww, how fluffy and cute. I've been waiting a while to write that, so I'm happy I got the chance to. I hope you enjoyed it. We'll get back to the action and drama soon enough. **

**I'm sorry I haven't updated in a few days. My family is all together for the holidays so we've been busy hanging out and catching up. I'll get back to a more regular posting schedule from today on, though. Expect the next chapter of 'Top Of The World' tomorrow. **

**Have a great night, and Merry Christmas! **


	18. The Reception

We're seated at the head table in the large reception hall. It's on a little stage so we can see the entire party. In the middle of all the tables is a dance floor. Finnick, Annie, Haymitch, Effie, my mom, Prim, Johanna, Beetee, Wiress, Chaff, and Mags are all up here with us, seated on either side of us.

The twins inevitably get passed around, everyone jockeying for time with them. If I can ever be sure of one thing, it's that my twins will never suffer from a lack of love. They're surrounded by it all day, every day, and I can't be more thankful for that.

Various people come up and congratulate Peeta and me. Some of them we know and some we don't know, but are happy to meet. Dinner is served by waiters, and everyone digs in. The twins are with Prim and my mom for the time being, at the end of the table. Suddenly, Finnick stands up and clinks his glass, getting everyone's attention.

"First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who helped make this special occasion possible. Peeta came to me a while ago with an idea. He wanted to do something for his wife on the day of their first anniversary. Together we hatched a plan to give Katniss the atmosphere of a traditional wedding. I can't tell you how honored I am that Peeta came to me, and let me help him with this undertaking. These two people, who are known to the entire country, are the most loving, kind, generous, and selfless people I know. While the persona they present in Propos is honest, their true colors come out in private, when they're relaxed, playing with their children. Annie and I are truly blessed to be able to call them our best friends. So, on this special day, I'd like to make a toast to two people who are meant to be together. Peeta, Katniss, I love you both."

Everyone raises their glasses and toasts. Peeta stands up and envelops Finnick in a huge hug, thanking him for his help. I give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you, Finnick. Today was perfect," I tell him. He smiles wide.

I sit down, and Annie stands up next.

"Finnick hit the nail on the head. There's not much more I can say about these two, except that they make me want to be a better person. I watch them with each other, and with their children, and I strive to become half as good as them. Katniss is my role model. I learned how to be a loving wife by watching her with Peeta. One day I hope to be able to learn how to be a mother from her as well. I thank my lucky stars every day for bringing them into Finnick's and my lives. Katniss, Peeta, I love you, and I wish you many more years of happiness. To the Mellarks."

Again, everyone raises their glasses and toasts. I give her a huge hug, and no words are spoken. None are needed between us. We know. Peeta gives her a bear hug and a kiss on the cheek.

I know what's coming next, and I can't wait.

Peeta begins speaking.

"You two are a tough act to follow," he jokes. Everyone laughs. "But I'll do my best. First, piggybacking on what Finnick said, I want to sincerely thank everyone who helped make today possible. It was truly a wonderful ceremony and exactly what I envisioned. Finnick, thanks for spending your free time helping me plan this. And also for not slipping up and letting anyone know about it. Katniss and I were married a year ago today, and I can say without a doubt that this has been the best year of my life. I was somehow blessed with a family, a wife whom I love with everything I am, and two beautiful children who light up our lives every day. When Katniss asked me to marry her, well, after she convinced me she was serious, I felt like my dreams were coming true. Because they were. This gorgeous, strong, amazing woman wanted to spend the rest of her life with me. The way I felt that day is indescribable. That night, when we were married, I thought I could never love her any more than I did at that moment. Every day, she proves me wrong, as my love for her grows with each passing minute. Katniss, I hope that today was as special for you as it was for me. I've said it a million times in a whole bunch of different ways, but right now, I think simple is best. I love you."

"To love!" Annie yells.

Everyone again toasts and applauds. I wrap my arms around my amazing husband and kiss him thoroughly.

"Thank you, baby," I whisper against his lips. "This was perfect."

He smiles wide and pecks the tip of my nose, causing me to giggle. Then I realize the entire room is dead silent, everyone watching us. My face goes beet red and I bury it in Peeta's chest. I hear laughs.

After a minute I'm composed enough to remove my face from his shirt. Peeta sits down, but I remain standing. Everyone senses I want to talk, so they remain silent.

"I don't know if this is tradition or not, but I want to say a few words as well. I had no idea that I was going to renew my vows today. I only found out when my stylist brought out this beautiful dress, and twenty minutes later, I was standing in front of my husband. My husband, who by the way looks incredibly handsome in his tuxedo. Like he said, thank you to everyone who made today happen. It truly was a wonderful way to spend our anniversary. While I wouldn't trade Peeta's and my wedding for anything, it meant a lot to me to be able to pledge my love to him in front of my friends and family. One year ago, my life forever changed. I stopped being Katniss Everdeen and became Katniss Mellark. I no longer made decisions on my own, I made them with my husband, my partner. We went from two people living separate lives to one entity sharing a future. Then, nine months after we were married, our family grew by two. Peeta, I will never be able to thank you enough for giving me this life. For loving me, marrying me, and giving me our twins. You make me a better wife, a better mother, a better friend. Without you, I'm just a girl from the Seam who can hunt. With you, I'm Mrs. Mellark and mommy. I can't wait to grow old with you, honey, and share the ups and downs of our future, together. I know that with you by my side, we can get through anything. And you're right. We've said it a million times in a whole bunch of different ways, but simple really is best. I love you. Always."

This time, the toast is silent. You could hear a pin drop. I look out and see watery eyes among the crowd. I turn to my husband who's stood up and is facing me.

"Come here," he beckons me.

We embrace, and I melt into him, wishing it would never end. I feel safest in his arms.

"That was beautiful," he whispers and kisses my ear. It tickles and I giggle again.

"I meant every word," I relay.

Dessert is served, and the pie tastes suspiciously similar to Peeta's recipe.

Peeta gets up, gives me a quick kiss, and disappears with Finnick. I turn to Annie.

"Where'd our husbands go?" I ask with a grin.

She shrugs.

"They'll be back. They can't do much of anything without us anyways," she jokes. We both laugh.

Just then, the doors at the opposite end of the hall open. Well, the mystery of where they went is solved.

They were getting the cake.

It's quite possibly the most beautiful edible object I've ever laid my eyes on. It's seven-layered, and towers above Peeta. He and Finnick wheel it to the dance floor and motion for Annie and me to join them. We make our way to our husbands, and I take a better look at the cake.

It's accented with forest green and sunset orange icing, our favorite colors. The designs are so intricate that I have trouble believing Peeta did it by hand. But I full well know he did. When he found the time is beyond me. I assume his dad helped, and I'm so grateful. A few male waiters help Finnick and Peeta move it off the cart and onto a low table, so we can see the entire thing, including the top.

I gasp when I see what is atop the cake.

It's Peeta and me, well tiny versions of us. I'm in my hunting clothes, complete with my boots, my dad's jacket, my bow slung over my shoulder and my quiver on my back. I can even see my braid. Peeta is wearing his baking apron, complete with frosting splattered on it and the numerous stains it's accumulated.

But that's not really what made me gasp. Sure, the representations of us are spectacular. However, there's another thing that makes me want to cry in joy.

Peeta and I both have a twin in our arms, nestled in our shoulders. I'm holding Josh. I can tell from the wisps of blonde. Eve is in Peeta's arms, complete with her dark hair that matches mine.

Around the topmost layer, Peeta has delicately wrote a message in frosting. It's only one word, but it means everything to us.

'Always'

"Oh, Peeta," I sigh happily. He wraps his arm around my waist and I lean my head on his shoulder, admiring his work. "This is amazing honey. Thank you so much. I – I –," I stutter, slightly nervous.

Peeta, of course, notices.

"Katniss, what's wrong?" He whispers so only I can hear him.

I let out a deep breath.

"You did all this for me. We renewed our vows in a beautiful ceremony, and you made me this wonderful cake. I didn't do anything for you. I didn't even get you a present," I explain sadly, unable to look him in the eye.

Peeta reaches up with his free hand and tilts my chin up, forcing me to look at him. I can plainly see the concern in his eyes, the overwhelming love radiating.

"All I ever need is you, Katniss. Never forget that. You and our children. Each day with our family is far better than any gift."

I nod and he kisses me, then his lips move to my ear. He whispers.

"Besides, you'll make it up to me in the bedroom."

I blush deeply and he kisses both my cheeks.

We cut the cake and gently feed each other a bit, grinning like idiots. Peeta gets it all over his face and before he can wipe it off, I lean up and clean it for him with my tongue and lips. He moans in appreciation.

After the cake is doled out to the guests, I make sure that the figurines from the top are saved. I want them.

A bunch of people start making their way to the dance floor, enjoying this rare respite from the war raging outside. Peeta and I dance, but I know it's harder for him to dance to the fast songs.

When a slow song comes on, I wrap my arms around his neck, and his snake around my waist, pulling me in close. I rest the side of my head on his chest. He kisses the top of my head and murmurs his love for me.

We all dance for a while and eventually make our way back to our seats to enjoy coffee, tea, and some pastries. The event is winding down, but I wish it would last all night. I never liked being the center of attention, but today I don't mind it one bit. I'm glad all these people witnessed our love, understood the deep connection Peeta and I share. I actually am happy that it was filmed, not just because it's going to show Panem that even in the most dire situations, there's always something to smile about. I'm more excited that we will always be able to relive today by watching the video of it. One day we'll show the kids.

I'm chatting with Annie, and Peeta is to my right laughing with Finnick and Haymitch about something.

"So, how are you feeling Mrs. Mellark?" Annie asks.

"Like the happiest girl in the world," I say without hesitation. She smiles brightly at me.

"You deserve every bit of it, Katniss. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You earned this life with blood, sweat, and tears. If there's anyone that deserves to be happy and in love, it's the two of you."

"Thank you Annie," I almost whisper.

Just then, I spot something in the corner of my eye.

It's Francis, and he's heading towards our table with determination. I assume he's coming to confront Peeta or something stupid.

That is, until I see what's in his right hand.

A gun.

It all happens in slow motion. As he comes within twenty feet of us, he raises his arm up and aims. Right at my husband.

I don't even think about what I do next. It's instinct.

I dive towards Peeta and bowl him over, and we both start tumbling to the ground in a mess of limbs. In the back of my mind I hear a gunshot.

Then my arm feels like it's on fire.

I've been shot.

By now, I'm on the floor. I turn to look at Peeta, and he's already raised himself up off the ground. I can just make out the fact that he's drawn his own weapon, and I deduce correctly he quickly retrieved it from his leg somehow. I see and hear him shoot once. Then I hear voices yelling, but I can't make out what they're saying. It sounds like Finnick and Haymitch, and I can barely make out Francis screaming obscenities.

"Oh my god! Katniss! Help! Somebody please help!" Peeta screams in panic.

He kneels down next to me, or at least I think he does, and I feel his grip on my arm where I assume my wound is. It hurts like hell, but I try not to grimace or whimper. That would just make it worse, for both of us.

I don't know if it's from blood loss, shock, or something else, but my world slowly fades to black as I hear Prim and my mom arrive, barking out strict orders to everyone.

The next time I open my eyes, I find myself in a hospital room, on my back in a bed. I feel groggy and lethargic. Probably from drugs they gave me. My mind is hazy, but I'm fairly certain I'm here because I was shot.

I look around the room and I hear the steady beeps of the various machines. There's an IV line running from my right arm up to a pole, where some kind of medicine is being delivered.

I look to my left, and breathe a sigh of relief. Peeta is next to the bed, fast asleep in a chair. He has my left hand in a death grip with his right. He's reclined back. My heart almost bursts when my mind processes the whole scene.

The twins are on Peeta's chest, on their stomachs, fast asleep like their daddy. His left arm is draped across them protectively, making sure they stay put. I look at his hand and begin silently crying when I notice that Eve has her tiny hand wrapped around Peeta's index finger.

If I had to choose only one moment to relive for the rest of my life, this would be it. Without a doubt. These three are my entire world, my reason for living. I would do anything for them, including dying.

I decide to let them sleep. I have no idea what time it is, or what day it is, but I can tell Peeta's exhausted.

I hear the door slowly open and Prim appears. I raise my right hand up and make the international shushing signal. She nods and smiles when she sees Peeta and the twins. She walks around to the right side of the bed and moves a seat so she can sit close to me. She leans up and softly kisses my temple.

"How are you feeling?" She whispers.

"Like I got hit by a truck," I whisper back. She chuckles softly.

"You were lucky, the bullet didn't nick any arteries or crack any bones. It didn't go through, and we had to put you under to get it out after you fainted in the reception hall."

I look at my left upper arm and see that it's wrapped tightly in gauze.

"How long have I been here?" I ask.

"A day," she tells me. My eyes widen in surprise. "Your body needed to recuperate. You've been running yourself ragged, Katniss. Between your classes and your, um, extracurricular activities with Peeta, you needed a good rest."

"Don't forget taking care of two infants," I remind her with a smile.

"Speaking of your twins, you should have seen when Peeta brought them in to see you. They wanted their mommy, that much was obvious. I think they somehow understood what was going on, because they were really quiet, almost silent. Peeta leaned each of them over you and they kissed you on your cheek, or at least the baby version of a kiss."

"Prim, what happened to Francis? He's the one who shot me, right?"

"Yeah, he did it," she answers sadly. "But I'll let Peeta fill you in on the details."

"How long has he been here?" I want to know, nodding my head towards my slumbering husband.

"The entire time," she explains with a smile. "He refused to leave your side except to take care of the twins, and even then he never left the room."

"He's too good to me," I whisper.

"Shh, Katniss," Prim coos. "I remember you sitting at his side for days after Gale beat him up. You both are almost too loyal, and you're both ridiculously stubborn when it comes to each other."

The door creeps open again, and Finnick and Annie enter. They see Peeta and the babies sleeping, so they don't talk, just come around to the same side Prim is seated at. They both lean over and give me a kiss on the cheek. They find two seats scattered around the room and sit next to Prim. Annie takes my right hand and I'm thankful for the connection. Both my hands are wrapped up in those of people I love.

I hear rustling coming from Peeta's side and turn my head. I can easily tell he's waking up slowly.

His eyes open and he looks around the room.

He does a double-take when he sees me staring at him and smiles, relief in his eyes.

"Kat," he whispers, "you're awake."

"Indeed," I tease.

"I was so worried honey," he says, sadness washing over him.

"Peeta, I'm going to be okay," I reassure him. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm never leaving you and our children, my family."

He nods and his demeanor goes back to one of relief and joy. He turns and lays soft kisses on both the twins' heads.

"Peeta?" He turns back to me.

"What is it?" He asks, apparently seeing the look in my eyes.

"I love you," I tell him with emotion laced in my voice.

A single tear escapes and rolls down his cheek. I realize I too am crying.

"I love you too," he almost whimpers. "Thank you for coming back to us."

There's only one answer to that.

"Always."

His smile gets even bigger, it all possible.

"What happened to Francis?" I ask quietly, trying not to wake the twins. Peeta's been speaking so softly to me, having the same goal.

He sighs and squeezes my hand a bit.

"After you, well, saved my life, the only thing I could think was that I had to protect you and the kids. I quickly got my pistol, and before Francis could aim his next shot, I pulled the trigger. I hit him in the shoulder. He's alive, but I bet he's in a lot of pain. Especially after the treatment he received from Finnick and Haymitch," he grins.

I turn my head and look at Finnick who looks slightly embarrassed.

"Thank you, Finnick," I say.

"Anytime. We're a family and we take care of each other," he replies.

I turn back to Peeta.

"Where is Francis now?" I ask. I want to know if he's going to pay for what he did.

"He's down in a holding cell until his 'trial' begins," Peeta explains.

Haymitch appears in the doorway, and all of us make sure he knows to be quiet. He nods in understanding and comes close to me so we can talk. He looks like he has something important to tell me. I've seen that look enough times.

"How you doing sweetheart?" He asks.

"Better now that my family's here."

"Well I'm not going to beat around the bush," he says.

"What is it Haymitch?" I query gently.

"The have Francis in custody. He's refusing to talk, even when they threatened torture. But there's still one more option before they have to resort to that."

"What is the other option?" I ask curiously. He may have shot me and tried to murder my husband, but nobody deserves to be tortured. I'm sure he will get his comeuppance in due time.

"Well he's refusing to talk, but he says he'll talk to only one person."

I sigh, knowing what he's about to say.

"Katniss, you have to go down there and get him to spill his guts."

**A/N: Dun Dun Dun! I really hate to have their wonderful day end with such drama, but hey, it's an unpredictable story. **

**A lot of you guessed Francis has something to do with the betrayals, but right now, nothing's clear. He could have done it out of jealousy, anger, or from being scorned, or he could have a more sinister agenda. We'll find out soon enough. **

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. **

**New chapter of 'Top Of The World' will most likely be posted tomorrow. **

**Thanks, as always, for reading and reviewing. **


	19. The Interrogation

"Right now?" Peeta asks Haymitch before I can respond. "She just got shot!"

"Peeta," I softly call, squeezing his hand. He turns to me but doesn't say anything. His look alone lets me know exactly what he's thinking, what he's feeling.

We have a silent conversation. The room stays quiet while we do, allowing us to converse. Peeta doesn't want me to go, at least not right now. I try to tell him that I'm fine, that it's okay, that he doesn't have to worry. He cocks his head to the side, replying that he'll always worry, no matter what. I narrow my eyes and eventually he sighs in resignation.

"Fine," Peeta huffs, turning back to Haymitch. "But I'm coming with her."

"She's the only one who can go in the room. You can watch," Haymitch informs him.

"Whatever," Peeta mutters. He gives the twins kisses and hands them off to Prim and Annie.

Peeta comes over to the side of the bed to help me up. A nurse comes in and unhooks me from the IV and takes the needle out of my arm. I grasp Peeta's forearm and slowly throw my legs over the side of the bed, unsure at how much energy or balance I have right now.

The nurse comes back in with a wheelchair, and I glare at Peeta.

"Does she need that?" He asks the nurse. She nods.

"Yeah, at least to get down there. She's had a fair amount of drugs."

Peeta nods and I grudgingly let him pick me up and place me gently in the chair. I notice, however, that his entire demeanor is closed off, tense. He won't even look at me.

Prim and Annie bring my children over so I can kiss them and tell them mommy and daddy will be back soon.

"Let's go," Haymitch says as he holds the door open. Peeta wheels me through.

We weave through the white halls of the hospital until we reach an elevator bank. We get in one, and Haymitch hits the appropriate floor's button. The elevator begins its descent, and I try to turn in my seat to look at my husband.

"Peeta?" I quietly try to get his attention.

"What?" He replies, staring at the door.

"I know you don't want me to do this right now honey," I carefully explain. "But please understand that I have to. For us, for our safety."

"What about your safety?" He quickly snaps. "You just got shot, you should be in bed, resting, not going to an interrogation with the asshole who shot you!"

I sigh and run my hand through my hair. I'm not mad or frustrated with him. I know he's right. Honestly, we're both right, and that's the problem.

Haymitch acts like he's not even here, unwilling to get between us or take sides.

"I know," I almost whisper. Finally, Peeta turns his gaze to me, and the look on his face breaks my heart. He only cares about me, about how I'm feeling, about my health, and I'm shoving it in his face, refusing to listen to his reasoning. "Just – please, don't be mad at me Peeta. I can't stand when we're mad at each other. It's the worst feeling in the world. I know you're right, but I also know I have to do this. I'm the only one who can."

Peeta quickly walks around the chair so he's in front of me and squats down so he's at eye-level.

"I'm not angry with you," he gently tells me while he takes my hand and intertwines our fingers. "I'm worried about my wife. I'm frustrated with the situation, and just like you know I'm right, I know you're right too. I know you have to do this, and that's what frustrates me. I wish it didn't have to be you, that you were upstairs recuperating so you can come back to me and the kids. But it is you, and while I might disagree with it, I'm behind you one hundred percent."

Just then, the elevator dings, letting us know we've arrived at our destination. Peeta quickly stands up, gives me a short but sweet kiss on the lips, and resumes his position behind the wheelchair.

As he pushes me out of the elevator, I turn and look up at him.

"I love you," I say with conviction.

He gives me a small smile and cups my cheek with his right hand.

"I love you too," he says with the same tone.

He leans down and gives me a peck on the lips, then goes back to his duties.

Haymitch leads us through the maze of hallways, taking us to the hospital wing of the prison. He tells us Francis is in one of the rooms because of his injuries, but he's properly restrained.

"There's a one-way mirror so we can watch," Haymitch tells Peeta.

"Good," Peeta replies. "I swear if he does anything, anything at all, to hurt my wife I'm going to kill him," he says with a tone I've never heard him use before.

Soon we arrive at the door to Francis' room. Peeta helps me stand up, and Haymitch tells me there's a chair inside for me to sit in. We make sure I can actually walk unaided, and while I'm a little wobbly, I'll be fine for the few steps it'll take me.

"I'll be right on the other side of the wall," Peeta whispers as he pulls me into an emotionally charged embrace. "If you are uncomfortable or just want to get out of there, look at the mirror. I'll know."

"Thank you baby," I whisper and softly kiss his neck right where he likes it. "I promise I'll be back with you soon. I hate him as much, if not more, than you do."

"Time to go, sweetheart," Haymitch informs us.

I give Peeta one last kiss on the lips, infused with reassurance and love. I realize we're only going to be apart for a short time, but it still hurts.

"Just talk to him," Haymitch says before I open the door. "Let him think he's in control, that you're there to see him, not to get information. If he's as crazy as he seems, he'll fall for it."

"Okay," I nod in understanding. "Let's do this."

Haymitch gives my good shoulder a squeeze and he leads Peeta around the corner. I'm left alone at the door.

I take a deep breath and let it out, centering my emotions.

I'm ready.

I slowly open the door, revealing the room that looks almost exactly like the hospital room I was in mere minutes ago.

Francis is lying in the bed, and I can see that his wrists and ankles are firmly strapped down. He's facing the other direction, and from his rhythmic breathing, I can tell he's asleep. There's chair near his bed, but not too close as to be uncomfortable. I quietly pad into the room and take a seat, relieved to be sitting again. The nurse was right, they gave me a lot of drugs.

As I wait for him to wake up, I start thinking about how this conversation will go. I haven't spoken directly to him in a while, since I beat him soundly in hand-to-hand in class.

"Katniss? Is that you?"

I apparently zoned out, and when I snap back to reality I notice Francis staring at me.

I swallow the bile in my throat and force a strained smile on my face. He smiles back.

"Hi, Francis," I say in the sweetest voice I can muster.

"You came," he observes.

"I came as soon as they told me you were hurt," I lie convincingly.

"I knew you would," he says arrogantly. "Oh my god, your arm. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I assure him. "I'm more worried about you. What are your injuries?"

"Peeta shot me in my shoulder," he tilts his head to the injured side. I can see it's wrapped up neatly. "Haymitch and Finnick laid into me for a little bit before they cuffed me. Just bruises. I'll be okay."

"You're really tough," I tell him. He beams at me. I can't believe he's eating this up.

"I didn't mean to shoot you, Katniss," he almost pleads.

"I know," I nod.

"Why did you jump in front of the bullet like that? You have to know I'd never hurt you, that I was doing it for us."

Oh boy.

How the hell do I respond to this?

I have to think fast.

"I, um, tripped," I lie again. "I was standing up and my foot caught on the chair and I landed on Peeta."

I hold my breath while he digests what I've told him, praying that he doesn't see right through me.

"Oh," he nods. "I knew there was an explanation."

"Of course," I try to give him a smile. I know I have to start getting information from him, but I also know if I directly ask him he most likely will get what's going on. I have to somehow get him to voluntarily confess.

"Why are you in restraints?" I ask.

He pulls on them as if to show me his limitations. He looks angry, but not at me.

"They haven't told me anything," he explains. "I assume it's because I shot a gun, knowing the laws in the District."

"Well I'll have to talk to somebody about that, see if we can't get you out of those."

His face positively glows. He thinks I'm on his side, that his grand romantic gesture of trying to murder my husband has worked.

"When I do get out, we're getting out of here," he says proudly. Now we're getting somewhere. His eyes dart around the room, and I understand what he's doing after a few seconds.

"It's just us," I assure him. "I made sure there were no cameras or anything so we could talk freely."

"That was good thinking, Katniss," he smiles. I want to throw up. "I always knew you'd come around. I saw it in your eyes. You don't really love him, do you?"

I look down at my hands, fidgeting. This is harder than I thought. I know Peeta's right there, watching and listening. I hope, I pray, that he understands.

I shake my head slowly.

"That's what I thought," he says arrogantly. I look up at him and he has a smug smile on his face. My anger and rage builds, but I keep it in check. "That's why I did that today, to free you from your hell so we could be together."

"You'll really take me away from all this?" I ask timidly, trying to be submissive. It works wonders.

He nods confidently.

"I've had everything arranged. All we need is to get me out of here, and we're gone. You don't ever have to see him again."

I look at him, trying to relay that I'm confused or unsure.

"Everything's going to be fine honey." My stomach churns and I've never wanted to hit him as much as I do right now. When Peeta calls me honey, I get all warm and gooey. It feels so wrong to have another man, especially him, call me that.

Involuntarily, I feel tears pooling in my eyes. It's really from the fact that I hate what I'm doing and want to be anywhere else but here, preferably in my husband's arms. I welcome the tears, knowing they'll work to my advantage.

Just like I thought, he sees them and he gives me a sympathetic look. Sucker.

"What's wrong?" He asks gently.

"I don't want to be here anymore," I reply. It's actually the truth, but he'll think I mean here in 13, not in this room. I force myself to make my tone sad, almost whimpering when I speak. "Is where we're going nice? Are the people good there?" I ask him with hopeful eyes.

"Absolutely," he instantly tells me with pride, again. "Are you sure nobody's watching?" He whispers.

"Yes," I nod. "Trust me."

"I trust you," he grins. Big mistake, buddy. "Katniss, when we get out of here, we're going to the Capitol."

And there it is.

"The – the Capitol? Really?" I act excited.

"Yep," he matches my tone. "I'm pretty excited to go back, it's been a while since I was there."

"I thought you moved to 4 or somewhere like that?"

"That was my cover story."

"Cover story?" I ask, confused.

"Yes," he starts. "I had to infiltrate 13, so I told everyone that I had lived in 4 before the Rebellion started. I couldn't blow my cover."

"So, um, what are you hiding besides the fact you're from the Capitol?" I ask, trying to sound impressed, like I'm in awe of him. He eats it up.

"I'm a spy," he says arrogantly. He's fallen right into our trap, and he has no idea. He really is that dumb, gullible, and yeah, crazy.

"A spy? Wow!"

"Yes, a spy," he reiterates. He tries harder to impress me. "I actually work directly for President Snow. He handpicked me for this assignment because I already knew you."

"So it was your job to get close to me?"

"No, of course not. I wanted, want, to be close to you. That wasn't my mission, it just helped solidify my cover that you and Peeta already knew me."

"Can you tell me what your mission is?" I ask nervously.

"If your promise not to tell a soul," he replies.

"I promise," I quickly say, hoping it sounded honest.

"I'm tasked with keeping my ear to the ground, and send any vital information back to the Capitol. There's actually at least one more spy, but I don't know who it is for both our safeties. Remember when those other Victors' hovercraft got hit?"

"Yeah," I nod.

"I had overheard them talking about the mission in the cafeteria. I relayed that back to the Capitol, and the other spy found out the details. They're placed much higher than me. It's obvious from how solid the information was that he or she at least has attended high-level meetings in Command, if not all of them."

I can't believe he's telling me all this, really. He must either be the dumbest person in the world, or he's that lovesick. I think it's a mixture of both.

"Wow," I look shocked. "But you don't have to stay here for your mission? We can just leave?"

"That was my deal with the President. If and when I would be able to break you out of here, I could go back and he'd insert another operative to replace me. That was my only condition, Katniss."

"Thank you," I say sincerely. "That means a lot to me."

"I'd do anything for you," he boasts. "Do you want me to kill Peeta before we leave? I can do that for you. Easily. You'll never have to risk seeing him again."

A shudder runs through my body. I hope my distress doesn't show on my face or in my demeanor.

"Maybe," I sound noncommittal. "We don't have to worry about that just yet. I just want you to get better. I don't like you being hurt."

He smiles wide.

"You're the best," he smirks. "God I can't wait to get out of here and start our life with you. I have everything planned out. Wait until you see our place in the Capitol!"

I'm pretty sure I've almost got all the information I need out of him, but just in case, I try once more.

"Is there anything you need me to do? Nobody would ever suspect it," I attempt to be sly.

"I guess just keep your ears open," he suggests. "I've passed on all my intel, so I don't really have an obligation until we leave."

"Um, can you tell me what other stuff you learned? You don't have to, but it's so exciting. You're really good at what you do."

"Nothing too important," he shrugs his good shoulder. "I've told them that you've been training people, and given some rough estimates of the size of the army. Oh, and I overheard that there's a mission next week to District 2, but that's all I know about it."

"I'll see what I can find out, but it's tough for me because of my kids, you know?"

"Of course," he smiles again. I'm on the verge of getting sick. "I want you to know that you have the option of bringing them with you. I'd be more than happy to adopt them, raise them as my own so they have a stable family environment."

And now's the time I lose my cool.

"Hey, Francis?" I use my silky saccharine voice. It's so fake, but he doesn't know that.

"What is it darling?" There's another pet name.

"You really are a fucking idiot," I smile.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

I decide to show him. I slowly stand up, using the arm rests to hoist myself up, and slowly walk to the bed. I hope his restraints are as tight as they look, because I'm really in no condition for a fight right now.

I go to the side of his injured shoulder and walk right up to the bed. I reach out with my good hand and make like I'm going to caress him.

At the last second, I ball up my hand into a fist and push as hard as I can on his wound.

"Ahhhh!" He screams in agony. "What are you doing!?"

"You're so gullible," I smirk. "You really think I'd leave with you? That I don't love my husband? You've lost your damn mind, Francis. I don't know what happened to you, but it must have been something serious for you to be this nuts."

"You – you don't really love me?" He asks, still whimpering in pain.

I finally remove my fist and he sighs in relief.

"No, Francis, I don't even like you as a person. I honestly despise you, everything about you, everything you stand for."

"But Katniss, I love you. I love you so much more than _him_," he hisses when he mentions Peeta.

I shake my head.

"See that mirror Francis?" I point to it. He nods. "Wave. Oh wait, you can't. Well, smile then. Say hi to everyone. They're all watching."

"You bitch," he spits.

"Ah, so you get it now? Good. Let me explain something to you. First of all, you don't have the right to call me by my first name. Only my friends and family have that privilege. You may address me as Mrs. Mellark, or ma'am."

"I can call you whatever I want, Katniss," he says defiantly.

I slap him across the face hard.

"Wrong answer, buddy," I grin. "Secondly, I want you to look hard at that mirror. On the other side of it stands the most wonderful, amazing person in this world. My husband. He's had to sit there and listen to you spew your bullshit this entire time, and frankly, I bet he's had a worse experience through all this than me." I turn to look at the mirror myself. "Baby, this one's for you."

I gather all the strength I have. Adrenaline starts coursing through my veins, giving me an extra boost.

I rear back, using all my training, and throw a punch as hard as I can across his face. I hear the satisfying sound of bones breaking. I'm pretty sure I just broke his jaw. He's screaming in pain, but I could care less.

I'm surprised with myself right now. I'm not naturally a violent person. I'm just constantly put into situations that either require violence or somehow descend into it.

"That was for everything you said about Peeta. Now, I want to address what you said about my children," I say calmly.

His eyes widen in fear.

"You truly are a sick son of a bitch, on par with your boss. You wanted to try to rip two infants away from their family to go play house in your little fantasy. Get something through that thick skull of yours. They're Peeta's kids. They're my kids. And when you bring them into this, you make it far more than personal."

I back up a couple steps and debate whether or not I really want to do what I'm planning. I'm well aware that right now I'm not acting like myself, but I sat here for a long time and played along with his stupid games, so I think I deserve to have a little fun and retribution.

I turn to him and grin sadistically.

With the same force I used on his jaw, I punch him square in the junk hard.

He screams even louder in obvious agony.

"That was for my children," I inform him.

I walk back up to where I was before.

"Fuck you," he gets out between cries.

"You wish," I snap back. I can just imagine Haymitch and Peeta laughing at that one.

"I'm going to finish what I started, bitch," he sneers.

"Good luck. Honestly, I'd be really surprised if you ever leave this room still breathing. Especially after I let my husband come in here. He's not too happy with you, and he wasn't fond of you to begin with, considering the first time he 'met' you, you slapped me and tried to get me to run away with you. Sound familiar?"

I hear a light knock on the door. I smile as I turn and gingerly walk to the door. I open it and there stands Peeta. He looks fairly calm, considering.

"Stay," he asks of me as he walks in the room.

He gives me a kiss, and I savor it, knowing Francis is watching. I deepen it and Peeta obliges as we slip our tongues into each other's mouths for a few seconds.

"Good evening, Francis," Peeta says cheerfully after we part. He gently takes my hand and puts his other on my lower back as he leads me to the chair I was in before. He helps me sit down.

"What do you want?" Francis demands angrily.

"Nothing, really," Peeta shrugs. "I just wanted to look into the eyes of the man who tried to murder me, and shot my wife. By the way, you're a pretty bad shot. You would've just grazed me, but Kat here didn't know that as she was saving me."

"I could've killed you easily."

Peeta just laughs. I do too.

"Really? Is that why I got my gun, aimed, and hit you in a non-vital area before you could even get a second shot off? Maybe Katniss and I need to revisit the weapons section of our class. What do you think, honey?"

He emphasizes honey, and I love it. He knows how much it pissed me off when Francis said it.

"Definitely," I smile at Peeta. "That's a great idea, baby. Can we get out of here soon? I want to go back to the kids. Plus I kind of loathe our company at this particular moment."

"Sure," Peeta answers.

He turns back to face Francis.

"I doubt we'll ever see you again, and if we do it'll probably be at your trial or inevitable execution. You do know the penalty for treason is death, right? When you signed up to be a cadet, you took an oath, and you broke that oath. You do have the right to a trial, but it's really just a formality at this point."

Francis looks downright terrified, like he just realized the implications of his actions.

"I want to leave you with this, Francis," Peeta continues calmly. "You made a terrible decision. Not only did you choose the wrong side and got caught, you pissed off my wife. She doesn't take kindly to people trying to hurt her family, trust me. She actually let you off easier than I thought she would. She'd be absolutely justified in hurting you a lot worse, and nobody would blink an eye or question it."

Francis is speechless.

"You almost got our friends killed," I say with barely contained rage as I stand up next to Peeta. He wraps an arm around my waist to steady me. "If I never see your face again, that will be too soon. I'm not going to make my husband or me waste any more time on you. So, goodbye Francis. I'll try and remember you as the boy who lived next door to me in the Seam, but he's gone. He was sweet and innocent. You killed him, and that makes me sad. If I were you, I'd try to enjoy the rest of the time I had left, because you don't have much."

"This isn't happening," Francis says, panicking.

"Oh it's happening alright," I tell him. "So long, neighbor. Baby," I turn to Peeta, "take me to our children please. I'd like to lie down and snuggle with my family."

"Right away, Mrs. Mellark," Peeta smiles wide and leans down to peck me on the lips.

We turn, without even so much as a glance in Francis' direction, and exit the room. I've left that part of my life behind, erased him from my memory. I lied to Francis. I can't remember him as that little boy I used to run around with. I can't reconcile the two people.

The door closes behind us and I finally let myself breathe.

Peeta immediately wraps me up tight and I bury my face into his chest.

"Never leave me," I beg.

Peeta doesn't respond, just pulls me even closer to him, melding our bodies together.

We stay like that for a few minutes as I silent cry softly. I cry for the loss of my childhood friend. I cry for how close I came to losing Peeta forever. I cry for what I had to become in that room, first with the deception and then with the violence. I cry for the fact that we're stuck in this damn underground bunker without an end in sight. I cry, and my husband doesn't loosen his grip on me at all.

"You did great," he whispers. "Everyone was blown away. You had him completely fooled."

"Did we get a lot out of it?" I manage to ask.

"Oh yeah," Peeta says as he kisses the top of my head. "We know a lot more than we did before."

"Good," I sob. "I'm glad it wasn't for nothing."

"It certainly wasn't for nothing," I hear Haymitch quietly say.

I don't remove myself from Peeta's arms, in fact I don't even open my eyes, but I know my mentor understands. He's always been able to get me.

"The kid is right," he goes on, "you were incredible in there. You took it way beyond what any of us could rightly expect."

"What happens now?" Peeta asks.

"Well, as for our friend in there, he's probably not long for this earth."

"Obviously," Peeta says sarcastically.

"Funny, kid," Haymitch replies in the same manner. "As for our little problem as to the remaining mole, we have a much better idea of where to look now. The list of people who have high-level access needed for that information is pretty short. We should be able to identify them in no time at all."

"That's great," Peeta states.

"I'll leave you two alone now," Haymitch calls as I hear him walk away.

"Peeta?" I quietly ask.

"What is it baby?" He whispers.

"I love you. I'm sorry about all those things I had to say."

"Oh, honey, don't feel sorry. You have nothing to worry about. I knew what you were doing all along. I'm so proud of you, Katniss Mellark. You're truly unbelievable. I love you too, so much I can't even describe."

"Our anniversary turned out to be quite the day, huh?" I joke.

"Did you expect anything less with us?" He teases.

"Good point. But there's only one way I want to end this day."

"And how's that?"

"In your arms, with our children as close to us as possible. I want my family, Peeta."

"Happy Anniversary, Mrs. Mellark."

"Happy Anniversary, Mr. Mellark."

**A/N: Phew, that was a long one. I hope everyone enjoyed watching Katniss play him like a fiddle. I thought she did rather well, no? It seems a little unrealistic that Francis would give that much away, but I was banking on the fact that he was blinded by his twisted lust for Katniss that he wanted to impress her. His carnal instincts outweighed his common sense, and Katniss knew it. **

**So one mole down, at least one more to go. Who could it be? Dun Dun Dun. **

**Thank you all, as always, for reading my little story. I really hope you're enjoying it as much as I like writing it. **

**Please read and review. The more reviews, the more I want to write. **

**Have a great Saturday evening!**


	20. Lighting The Spark Again

_**Fair Warning: The end of this chapter consists of a dirty, smutty, sexy, foul-mouthed Everlark sex scene. Read at your own risk or pleasure. You've been notified. **_

After the interrogation, Peeta helps me sit back in the wheelchair. I'm exhausted, physically and emotionally. I know what I just did is going to help tremendously, but that doesn't change the fact that I hated every second of it. Even acting like I don't love my husband is extremely difficult, if not impossible.

We're both fairly quiet as he rolls me back to the elevator. Even Haymitch doesn't speak. I think we're all still digesting what just occurred.

We get on the elevator and begin the trip back up to the hospital. I'm relieved to be off that floor, away from Francis.

"Are you okay Kat?" Peeta asks quietly.

"Yeah," I reply, not convincingly at all.

"I'm so proud of you," he says.

I scoff under my breath.

"I'm serious," he explains. "That took a lot of courage to do what you just did. I don't know if I'd ever be able to do it. You got him to trust you, believe you, and then he unknowingly spilled his secrets trying to impress you. I always tell you about the effect you have on people, Katniss, and this just proves it even further."

"I hated it," I mutter angrily.

"I know," Peeta gives me a quick kiss bending down.

"I just want to lie down with you and the kids. That's all I want to do. I need my family."

"We're almost there," Peeta gently relays.

The elevator dings, alerting us we've arrived at the proper floor.

The three of us make our way back to my hospital room. Every inch I get closer to my kids, my desire to hold them close to me increases ten-fold. They calm me, center me, allow me to remind myself that there are indeed good, wonderful things in this world.

We arrive at the door and Haymich holds it open so Peeta can wheel me in.

Everyone's pretty much right where we left them. Annie and Prim holding the twins while Finnick sits quietly next to Annie, marveling at my children.

It's easy to see the twins' faces light up when they recognize their parents have entered the room. It fills my heart with joy. Before I can hold them, though, Peeta demands I move back to the bed so I can rest. He's been so good during all this that I can't deny him, knowing he's really right anyways.

He wheels me next to the bed and comes around to help me up. I start pushing on the arm rests to try and stand, but Peeta's not having any of that. He quickly scoops me up and gently lays me on the bed. I don't try to fight him, I'm way too tired.

"Thanks," I give him a small smile. He leans down and gives me a peck on the lips.

"We just want you to get better," he whispers.

"Here baby, go see your mommy," Annie coos. She walks over and transfers Eve from her arms into mine.

As soon as I feel the familiar weight of my baby girl, I instantly relax. I kiss her thoroughly, letting her know how much I missed her. She wraps her tiny hand around my finger and inspects my wedding ring, an inquisitive look on her pudgy face.

"Where's your brother Eve?" I ask her comically.

"Right here," Prim smiles at Josh in her arms. "They were perfect, Katniss. They just missed you guys, that's all."

"Thank you," I say to everyone as Prim also transfers Josh into my arms.

Now I have both my children cuddled as close as possible. I let out an audible breath, my tension ebbing away. I'm reminded, again, why Peeta and I are doing all of this. It's for them, these flawless, beautiful children.

"Help me scoot over, baby," I look to Peeta.

He understands and gently moves me to one side of the bed. He walks around to the other side, kicks his shoes off, and crawls into bed with us. I give him Eve so we both have one of our kids. He leans over and kisses Josh's forehead then gives me a sweet kiss. He kisses Eve on the tip of her nose and she baby-giggles.

Everyone in the room senses this is a private family moment, and silently leave the room. I know they'll be right outside in the hallway though.

"Better?" Peeta asks after a minute.

"Much," I nod. "This is all I could think about when I was talking to Francis. I was afraid he'd see it and realize what was going on. I'm so sorry about the things I said, Peeta. I know you know I was just acting and that you think there's nothing to forgive, but I still feel terrible. No husband should have to listen to his wife tell another man she doesn't love him, even if it is all for show. Especially when the other guy has made it abundantly clear that he wants her."

"I'm not going to lie," Peeta starts, "but you're right. It did hurt to hear some of those things, even though I knew what you were trying to accomplish. I'm embarrassed to admit this, but it brought some of my insecurities back to the surface. Don't get me wrong, I never thought even for a second that you were telling him the truth. But my mind kept forcing images of you leaving me, falling out of love with me, of my world crumbling. I'm sorry, Kat. I didn't mean to."

"That's understandable," I softly tell him. "I don't blame you at all, baby. I'm not mad at you, I could never be mad at you for something like this. Look honey, we've had this conversation numerous times over the last year, and our convictions remain the same as they always have and always will. There's nothing and nobody on this earth that could ever make me want to leave you. We both need to try and accept that."

"I know," he says sadly. "I'm trying Katniss, I promise. I haven't felt like that in a really long time. I think I was just stressed out with everything going on. One minute we're celebrating our anniversary and the next you're in the hospital. I guess I was just scared. Scared that it became obvious how quickly you could be taken away from me."

"Oh Peeta," I cry. "That's never going to happen. I will do everything in my power to make sure that I'm with you, always."

"I know," he repeats. He leans over and gives me a long, tender kiss. I savor every second of it.

This, right here, is my entire universe. My home. It doesn't matter where we are or what we're doing. When the four of us are together, I feel safe, like I'm home.

"I love you," I almost whimper emotionally.

He reaches over with his free hand and tucks some hair behind my ear then gently cradles my cheek. I lean into his touch.

"I love you too," he whispers lovingly.

The Mellark family drifts off into a comfortable sleep, safe in each other's arms.

We're woken a couple hours later by a nurse entering the room to take vitals and administer some more medicine.

"How much longer does she have to be here?" Peeta wants to know.

"Just tonight," she answers. "We just want to make sure nothing's wrong before we release her."

"Thank you," Peeta smiles.

"There are some people waiting outside to come in and visit. They've been there for awhile. Should I send them in?"

"Please," I nod.

She goes back into the hallway and the door swings open after a few seconds, revealing a whole slew of people. Prim, Annie, Finnick, my mom, Johanna, both of Peeta's parents and his two brothers, Cinna, and Effie walk in. I greet them all happily. Then two more people walk in who cause me to smile wide. Annabel and Grayson.

"Hey you two," I grin. "Long time no see. Too god for your old mentors?" I tease.

"We've been busy, Mrs. Mellark," Grayson politely says.

"Well it's great to see you," Peeta joins in the conversation.

"Are you okay Mrs. Mellark?" Annabel asks worriedly.

"I'm going to be just fine," I calmly reply. I turn to everyone else who's crowded into the room. Peeta's still lying with me with the twins' in both our embraces. "Thank you all for coming to see us," I sincerely say. "It means so much to us that we have such a wonderful, caring, loving family. That includes you two," I mock glare at Grayson and Annabel. Everyone laughs.

Just then, both our kids start to wake up because of all the ruckus. I realize it's actually fairly late, and they should be in bed already.

"You should take them back to the room," I tell Peeta.

"I don't want to leave you," he protests.

"Peeta," I sigh.

"I'll take them," Prim volunteers. "I'll put them to bed and stay at your place tonight."

"You don't have to do that little duck," I try to dissuade her.

"Please, Katniss, it's the least I can do."

"We'll stay with her," Annie offers. Finnick nods.

"Okay," I relent with a smile. "Thanks guys."

"Thank you," Peeta echoes. "I'll come by in the morning to get them if Katniss hasn't been released yet."

"Sounds good," Prim nods.

I open my mouth to start giving her directions, but she cuts me off.

"I know what I'm doing, Katniss. I've been babysitting since they were born, remember?"

"You're right," I admit.

Peeta and I spend a few minutes saying goodnight to the babies. I know it's only one night, but it still tears me up to not be with them. I know Peeta feels the same way when I see his eyes watering. The room remains silent as our family gives us space to be parents.

Prim and Annie eventually gently remove them from our arms and I already miss them terribly.

The family trickles out, all of them coming over to either kiss or hug us. The parents, mine and Peeta's, are the last ones in the room.

"How's your arm feeling?" My mom asks.

"Better now," I shrug. "It could've been a lot worse."

Everyone nods sadly.

"I heard you talked to the boy that did this," Peeta's mom states.

"Yeah," I reply. "He refused to talk to anybody else."

"I hope he gets what he deserves," she says bitterly. It's weird to hear her talk like that about anyone other than me.

"Well we'll leave you two alone," Peeta's dad quietly says. "You need your rest."

"Thanks dad," Peeta softly smiles. "We appreciate you guys coming to see us."

"That was incredibly courageous, Katniss," his mom adds before they leave. "You saved Peeta's life without a second thought."

"I didn't have a choice," I explain. "He's my entire world."

Everyone's face softens at my words. It's the truth.

"And besides," I smile, "I owed him one after he got shot protecting me. And you all know how I hate owing people." Everyone chuckles. "In all seriousness though, I'm so happy that neither of us were seriously injured."

"Get better and we'll see you soon," my mom says as they make their way the door. "Let the nurse know if you need anything, she knows how to contact me."

"Thanks," Peeta and I say in unison.

Soon Peeta and I are left alone for the first time in a long time. It's so weird without the kids, but I'm not complaining. At least not out loud. It's rare that Peeta and I get the chance to really be alone, but the trade-off is more than worth it.

"Quite the day, huh?" Peeta muses.

"Well it is still our anniversary for another couple hours," I point out, "and I believe we had agreed on trying to recreate our wedding night."

"Kat," he warns, "you're hurt. I don't want to injure you further or put you in any unnecessary pain."

I smile at his thoughtfulness.

"Honestly baby, the only pain I'm in right now is from you not being inside me."

His jaw drops.

"Go lock the door, Peeta, and pull the shade on the window down."

He doesn't speak, just wordlessly gets up and follows my orders. I take the opportunity to slip out of my hospital gown, leaving me in my white bra and panties I wore under the wedding dress.

I feel a second wind, a resurgence of energy as I get excited for what's to come.

Peeta turns back to face the bed and his eyes bug out of his head at the sight of me.

"Oh my god," he mumbles.

"Don't you want to unwrap your present Mr. Mellark?" I tease saucily.

"Um, uh, yes please?"

I giggle and he blushes.

"Well get over here then," I demand. "I want my present too." I make it plainly obvious when I start staring at his crotch.

He walks up to the bed and I reach out to him, undoing his belt and snapping open his slacks. I unzip him and they fall down to his ankles. He quickly disposes of his shirt as I rub his legs momentarily before sliding his boxers off, leaving him naked.

"Somebody's happy to see me," I observe.

He just nods enthusiastically.

"Do you like my new lingerie Peeta?" I ask innocently, fondling my own breasts.

He nods again and I can see the pure lust in his eyes.

"I do too," I grin. "But right now I'd rather see them on the floor. Don't you agree?"

He snaps out of his daze somehow and becomes action-oriented. He gets onto the bed and we both go up on our knees facing one another. I initiate a kiss, which we both deepen, and I feel one of his hands go around to my back and unclasp my bra. It falls off my breasts and I throw it aside quickly.

He breaks the kiss, and I moan my protest. That is, until his lips find my breasts. He kisses and caresses every inch of both of them, spending a long time with my nipples.

Then I feel one of his hands on my torso slowly making its way south. I shudder in anticipation.

His fingers glide under my panties, acquiring their target. He slips two fingers inside of me and I groan in pleasure. He reattaches his lips to mine and I moan into his mouth.

"I can't take it anymore baby," I whimper because of the immense pleasure I'm feeling. "I need you inside me."

"In a minute," he smirks. "I want to make you come first."

"Okay," I breathe out. "Please don't stop," I beg.

"Are you almost there?" He whispers in my ear then nips my earlobe.

I nod, my eyes closed, biting my bottom lip.

After a couple more minutes I'm right on the edge. He sees it and helps me spill over, the orgasm racking through my body and bringing me to ecstasy.

"Wow," I sigh when it finally abates.

He smiles wide at his accomplishment, then starts tugging on my soaked panties. I get his intention, and help him slide them off. I hand them to him, knowing he'd snatch them up anyways. He brings them up to his face and inhales deeply, the desire in his eyes multiplying if that's at all possible.

He admires his handiwork, looking at the sopping wet bottoms.

"Somebody's happy to see me," he repeats my prior statement.

"Stop teasing me," I plead. To get him moving again, I reach down and grasp his almost rock hard erection. I feel it grow in my hand until he's fully aroused.

I start gently stroking and he lays his forehead down on my good shoulder gently. I don't even feel my gunshot wound anymore.

"Lie back," I whisper, pushing gently on his chest.

He complies and is on his back in a split second. I smile up at him before I take his length in my mouth, preparing it to enter me.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" He asks meekly. "I can be on top if you want."

I shake my head.

"I want to be on top," I inform him, still stroking. "I'm perfectly alright, Peeta. I'm not hurting at all. I promise."

"Okay," he nods.

"Enough talking," I declare.

He shuts his mouth theatrically.

"Good boy," I grin and lean up to kiss him quickly.

I straddle him, hovering above for a few seconds while we adjust our bodies. I reach down and grasp his erection, guiding it inside me as I slowly lower myself. We both groan when he enters me.

I take him all the way to the hilt and he stares at me in awe. His hands go to my hips, helping me along as I begin thrusting up and down rhythmically.

We don't break eye contact for a second while I ride him, our love and desires expressed without words. His hands wander up to my breasts and he plays with them, making me smile.

After a few minutes, he grasps my wrist, as I'd had my hands on his chest to keep me stable. He tugs on it gently, and I understand what he wants. I lean forward, making sure to keep him inside me, and our lips meet.

He wraps an arm around me to keep me in place as our tongues duel for supremacy. I feel him helping me thrust, his entire length repeatedly filling me up to the brim.

I cradle his cheek in my hand, and I'm sure he feels the coolness of my ring against his skin. He beams up at me and kisses my palm sweetly.

I feel yet another orgasm coming on, and bury my face into his neck while I ride it out, Peeta helping to prolong it.

I kiss his neck a few times before I sit back upright, intent on bringing him to an equally explosive release.

"I'm almost there," he tells me after a few more minutes. "Oh god, Kat, don't stop."

My thrusts down become more powerful as I bring him closer and closer. His eyes roll to the back of his head in pleasure. He squeezes my hips with both his hands, and I know he's about to come.

"Come inside me," I plead. "I need it, Peeta. I need you. Forget about everything. There's only you and me, baby. Let it all go. I love you," I whisper to goad him on. It always drives him wild. I know my husband.

His orgasm commences, and I feel his entire body relax as he empties himself inside of me, a silly grin plastered on his face. I raise myself up and lower back down a few times to make sure I got everything.

When we're finished, he helps me lie back down and throws a blanket over us. We're too exhausted to even think about getting dressed yet.

I curl into him, and we're both careful of my injured arm, even though I'm sure I can't feel it, not when I'm this euphoric.

"Anniversary sex is the best," he declares.

I giggle and kiss him. I feel his smile against my lips.

"It's still our anniversary for a little while longer," I glance at the clock on the wall.

"Give me five minutes?" He asks.

"If you must," I say in mock anger.

"Don't worry, I'll be ready," he assures me.

"Oh I'm not worried about that," I shrug him off. "In fact, why don't I help you along a bit?" I reach down and grasp him again and he gasps.

"Ohhh," he groans.

"I thought you'd like that," I tease.

He nods, unable to form any words.

I gaze into his eyes and I'm almost overwhelmed by it all. Here I am, in bed with my soul mate on our anniversary. We already have two perfect children who we love more than anything. Sure, I'm hurt and we're not at our home, but like I said before, wherever Peeta and the kids are is my home.

"Peeta?" I quietly get his attention.

"Hmm?"

"It's your turn to be on top. I want you to ravage me. I want you to make me forget my own name."

He just forms a slow smile, kissing the tip of my nose.

It may not have been the anniversary either of us hoped for or planned for, but I can't imagine a better way to end it.

In the arms of the man who I'm going to grow old with.

**A/N: We're moving along nicely in this AU. This was mainly just a filler chapter to round out the interrogation from last chapter. I also felt it had been awhile since we've had an all-out smut scene, so I hope you all enjoyed that. Wink Wink. I also listened to a couple of the reviews and brought back Annabel and Grayson, who I promise to integrate more in the future. **

**Thanks as always for reading and reviewing. Happy New Year!**

**I might be up to writing the next chapter of 'Top Of The World' later on today after I play some golf with my sister, but I'm not making any promises. We'll see. **


	21. Released

I wake up the only way I ever want to – wrapped up in the love of my life's arms. My head is laying on his chest, in its usual spot. I prop it up with my chin and look up at my slumbering husband. He has a small, content smile on his face. I can't bring myself to wake him, not yet. I let him sleep.

I move my injured arm around a bit. It's sore, but it doesn't hurt nearly as much as it did before. Now, Peeta and I have matching bullet wounds, both gained by trying to save one another. I know it scared Peeta and our family, but I also know I'd make the same decision a hundred times over. He's my husband, my best friend, the father of my children, and my better half. I'd do anything to protect him, to make sure he's safe.

"How's the arm?" I hadn't even noticed Peeta's eyes open.

"Better," I whisper, kissing his bare chest lightly.

"Maybe we should unlock the door," he suggests with a smirk. "I'm sure someone needs to get in here."

"Do we have to?" I whine like a petulant child, pout and all. He just smiles.

"Not just yet," he relents. To reward him, I lean up and give him a long kiss on the lips.

"If we're going to unlock the door, you need to put some clothes on," I admonish him. "I'm not willing to share that view with anyone. It's mine."

"I could say the same to you honey," he grins before he runs his fingers down my bare back, altering me to my own nudity.

We both laugh and it's the perfect way to start our day. Well, almost perfect.

"I miss the kids," I sigh. Peeta nods his agreement.

"I'll spring you out of here soon," he promises, "and we can go spend the day with them."

"Don't we have class to teach?" I ask. His face falls.

"Yeah, after lunch," he explains. "We can always bring them with us?"

"I don't know. We've been doing some pretty intense, involved training lately."

"Well we'll spend as much time with them as we can, okay? Actually, you know what? You're injured, Kat. You sit with them while I teach class, how does that sound?"

"Spend time with my kids while we watch their incredibly sexy daddy be all authoritative? Sounds amazing."

He chuckles and kisses the top of my head. I sigh happily and snuggle closer into him.

I realize it's still really early, considering we're underground, we can't see any windows. We drift off back to sleep, Peeta tightening his hold on me.

We're woken a couple hours later by incessant knocking on the door.

"Peeta?" I groan. "Baby get the door."

"That's the same thing you said the first time we slept in the same bed," he observes.

I lift my head off his chest and look up at him.

"And, again, the door is the more pressing issue," I smile.

"Right away, Mrs. Mellark," he dutifully replies. Sadly, I unwrap myself from him and he gets up off the bed, finding his pants and slipping them on. He waits until I've also dressed before he goes to the door.

It's our nurse. She takes vital signs, checks my range of motion, and administers my last dose of medicine.

"Can I get her out of here yet?" Peeta asks when she's finished.

"I just have to consult the doctor," she answers. "Give me a few minutes."

Peeta nods his thanks and she shuts the door on her way out. He moves to the side of the bed and plops down in a chair.

"What are you doing?" I ask harshly.

"Relaxing," he replies nervously, unsure of where my anger is stemming from.

I roll my eyes dramatically.

"Peeta Mellark, get back in this bed and cuddle with your wife. Now."

"Yes, Mrs. Mellark," he says in mock-sadness. It makes me smile.

He crawls back into bed and I immediately curl into him, throwing a leg and an arm over him and resting my head back in its proper spot on his chest.

"We really need to stop getting shot," I declare after a few minutes.

I feel and hear him laugh, his chest reverberating.

"I'm sorry that happened at the reception," he apologizes, "I wanted it to be perfect."

"It was perfect," I protest. "Really, Peeta, it was. So what if it ended with me in the hospital? I still loved every minute of it. You really surprised me with the entire thing, and it was spectacular."

"Really? You liked it?"

"Of course," I scoff. "I got to stand up in front of everyone, the whole country, and show them how much I love you, and have you show them how much you love me. Not only was the renewing of our vows important for the two of us, I feel like we're showing the country that good things still happen, that love can survive."

"I never thought of it that way," he muses. "But you're absolutely right. I suddenly don't mind that Plutarch filmed it."

I nod and rest my head back down.

The nurse returns after a few minutes, informing us that I've been released from the hospital's care. She gives me some instructions and a few stretches to help my shoulder. I sign some forms and she cuts off my hospital bracelet. Finally, she rolls a wheelchair in. I remember from when Peeta was here that it's policy, so I huff as I sit down.

"Thanks," I say to the nurse. She nods and leaves us.

"Ready?" Peeta comes around to face me, crouching down so we're at the same level.

"Take me to our children," I plead. He gives me a quick peck on the lips and resumes his position behind me, pushing me out of the room.

We make it back fairly quickly, as it's still early and the halls are fairly deserted. Before I realize, we're at the door to our place.

Peeta puts the brakes on, knowing that I'm going to want to walk through the door, not be pushed. He didn't even have to ask.

He helps me stand, gently grasping my arm, and I surprise both of us by not resisting him. I reach for the doorknob and push the door open.

I smile at the sight before us.

Prim and Annie are sleeping on the couch in opposite directions, their sock-clad feet near one another's head. A blanket is haphazardly thrown over them. Finnick is sprawled out on the floor, a pillow from the couch under his head.

"Shh," I turn to Peeta with my finger on my lips, motioning to our houseguests.

Peeta smiles as we tiptoe through the living room towards the twins' bedroom. Peeta darts into the kitchen, grabbing two bottles out of the fridge.

"Good thinking," I praise him.

We gently open the door, their room still bathed in darkness. They're both still asleep, so we give them each a kiss and let them be. Not wanting to be far from them, Peeta sits in the rocking chair, and I plop down right on his lap. He wraps his arms around me and pulls me close.

"I missed them so much," I whisper, "and it was only one night."

"You're their mother," he points out. "Besides, I'm sure I missed them just as much."

"I love you," I turn to him, giving him a sweet kiss. "I love our family."

"I love you," he smiles wide. "I love our family."

"Good, because you're stuck with us."

He softly chuckles and I join him.

"Well I guess I'll just have to figure out new ways of showing you just how much I cherish you," he announces.

"Please do," I grin. "As your wife, I give you permission to do whatever you deem necessary to seduce me."

"Oh, come on, that's the easy part," he smirks. "I could get you in bed in ten seconds flat no matter where we are." I hit him playfully and we both laugh quietly.

"Are you calling me easy, Mr. Mellark?" I tease.

"Never," he says innocently. "I'm just acutely aware of the effect I have on you."

"And what about all the times I've lured you into having sex?" I ask.

"Maybe I'm the easy one," he grins. "But I'm certainly not complaining."

"Me either."

We kiss again, and before we can deepen it Josh lets us know he's awake.

I hop up and dart to his crib, scooping him up into my arms. I ignore the soreness, needing to hold my son.

"Shhh, baby boy, mommy's here," I coo as I gently rock him. He doesn't need a change, so I'm fairly sure he's hungry. Peeta hands me a bottle. "Here, Joshy, have some breakfast. Shhh, be a good boy for mama."

He happily latches on and sucks down his breakfast quickly. Peeta claims he's inherited my appetite, but I think it's the other way around.

When he's almost finished, Eve wakes up. Peeta picks her up, giving her a multitude of kisses to her utter delight. I smile at the sight of my husband and our daughter.

"Good morning my beautiful girl," Peeta quietly whispers. "Let's get you something to eat, you'd like that, wouldn't you? You look more like your mother every day, baby girl. You're so beautiful."

I can't help but blush at his soft words. Peeta tells me I'm beautiful almost every day, but it never ceases to make me blush.

Suddenly, the door bursts open, revealing the three babysitters, all of them breathing heavy with wide eyes.

"Oh!" Prim gasps. "It's you two. We heard the kids and, well, we didn't know who was in here."

"It's just us, little duck," I smile, giving Josh a raspberry on his tummy. He giggles.

"Are you feeling better Katniss?" Annie asks, concerned. She comes over to inspect me more thoroughly.

"Much better," I assure her. "Thank you. Thank you all for staying here last night. We really do appreciate it."

All three wave us off like it was no big deal.

"They were angels," Finnick reports. "Well, once we got them changed that is."

We all laugh, knowing how our twins can be when their diapers are dirty.

Eventually we all move to the living room and just relax, talking about nothing too important. I do tell them about my experience interrogating Francis, and they're all shocked, as I knew they'd be.

Annie and Finnick leave to go teach a class, and Prim has to report to work, leaving the four of us alone for the first time in a while.

"Bed?" Peeta and I turn and ask at the same time. We burst out laughing.

We walk into our bedroom, the twins cradled in our arms. Peeta shifts Eve to one arm and pulls the comforter back. He sets her down gently and helps me by relieving me of our son, placing him next to his sister. I go to lay down, but before I can, Peeta scoops me up in his arms and lays me down carefully. He scoots around to his side and collapses onto the bed, the twins between us.

We both lay on our sides, gazing down at our marvelous children. It feels so good to be back here with them, with my family.

"Sleep," Peeta coaxes, "I'll set an alarm. Sleep, Kat."

I nod and he takes my hand in his, kissing it and intertwining our fingers. The four of us doze off together.

Peeta gently wakes me up to go to lunch. I realize I'm hungry, seeing as Peeta and I skipped breakfast.

We get dressed and make sure the twins are wearing appropriate clothing before we put them in their stroller. We head out to lunch, knowing we have a class directly afterwards.

At the cafeteria, we sit with all of our friends, who are more than happy to see me on my feet again. Eventually, Peeta and I have to just tell them to shut up so we can actually eat. There are laughs all around and I'm glad to be back with people I love.

Before I'd like to be, we're on our way to class. Peeta keeps assuring me he can handle it and I should just stay with the kids. I give in, more because I want to spend some time with them, not because I don't think I'm up to teaching.

We enter the training room and the class assembles on the bleachers as always. We stand in front of them, the stroller in front of us. I notice a lot of the cadets smiling at the sight of our kids.

"Good afternoon, cadets," Peeta greets sternly.

"Good afternoon sir!" They respond sharply.

"I'm sure you've all heard by now that my wife was involved in a shooting a couple days ago. As you can see, she's recovered fine, and will be resuming her teaching duties soon."

"Colonel?" A younger female cadet raises her hand. Peeta nods for her to continue. "Is it true she dove in front of a bullet that was aimed at you?"

"You want to field that one honey?" He asks me. I nod.

"Yes, it's true," I reveal. I see their eyes widen. "I could tell you it was some heroic moment, but that's just not the truth. The truth is it was pure instinct. I saw my husband in danger and I did what was necessary. We aim to get all of you to the point where your movements are instinctual rather than reactionary."

"Was it really Cadet Burton who shot you?" Another male cadet asks.

I look to Peeta, not sure how much we're allowed to reveal. He nods that I can answer.

"Yes, it was Cadet Burton," I answer, my voice void of any emotion. "He was delusional, and he was very sick, but that's all I can tell you."

"Enough questions," Peeta announces. "First, warm up run. Five miles. Dismissed!"

They scramble off the bleachers and begin their run around the track. Madge jogs by me and I wave her over quickly.

"I'm glad you're okay Katniss," she says honestly.

"Thanks, Madge," I smile. "I'm glad too." She chuckles. "How much does everyone know about what happened?"

"Not much," she shrugs. "The ceremony and reception were televised in 13 as well as across the country, but they had it on a delay, so they cut off before you got shot."

"Oh," I process what she's told me. "So it's basically just rumors?"

"Yeah," she nods. "There's a rumor that Francis wanted to kill Peeta because he was in love with you. There's another rumor that he was sent by Snow, and another one that he was sent by Coin. What everyone agrees on, though, is that you dove in front of that bullet because you love your husband more than anything."

"Well at least they got that right," I roll my eyes.

"Anything else?" She asks, and I can see she wants to get running.

"No, go ahead. Dismissed." She salutes and joins the rest of the class.

"Did you hear all that?" I ask Peeta. He's following the students' progress, but I know he was listening.

"Yeah," he replies. "We'll have to talk to Haymitch, see how to deal with everything."

"Good idea. I'm going to go sit over there with the kids, okay?" I point to the bleachers.

"Sure," he smiles, leaning in for a chaste kiss. We always keep them short when we're here. "Let me know if you need anything."

"I got shot, I'm not disabled," I say defensively.

He just rolls his eyes and laughs softly.

"I know that. Doesn't mean I'm ever going to stop taking care of you."

I know he's right, so I give him a smile and let him kiss me once more before I move over to the bleachers with the stroller.

I take a seat and turn the twins around so they can see their daddy. We watch as he takes the class through stretches and other exercises. He breaks them up into small groups, floating from group to group as they practice hand-to-hand combat. I still get awestruck watching him fight in close proximity. His years of wrestling make him a formidable fighter, and the training we undertook together has made him almost unstoppable.

He runs over to us a few times, usually only long enough to give us each a kiss. I don't mind though. Just the fact that he made the effort is enough for me.

Peeta now has the class lined up over at the shooting range as they take turns showing him their proficiency with pistols. Most of them are mediocre shots, but a few of them show real promise.

I cringe as I watch Scarlet slowly make her way to the front of the line, eventually standing right in front of my husband. I watch their interaction closely.

She steps up closely to Peeta, and he instantly backs up a few feet and angrily asks her why she didn't salute him. She sheepishly steps back and gives him a weak salute. He shakes his head at what he calls a 'pathetic attempt at a military salute' and informs her she's going to take a remedial course in saluting, taught by me. I grin at the thought, already planning it out in my head. Scarlet searches the room until her eyes fall on me, and I can see the hatred easily. I refuse to look away, unwilling to back down. Suddenly, she smirks, and turns back to Peeta.

He's not facing her, and she sees it. She goes up on her toes and is about to try to kiss him when her arm is forcefully wrenched behind her. She yells out in pain as she's forced easily to the ground, on her stomach, her arm folded painfully behind her. That's when I can make out the person now kneeling on her back.

It's Madge.

**A/N: Aww, Madge to the rescue. I thought it was time she got more involved in the plotline, so I started there. This was really just a filler chapter of Katniss getting out of the hospital and back into the swing of things. The search for the remaining moles will become the focus as we move forward with the next few chapters. **

**If you haven't already, and I don't know why you wouldn't, please go check out my new story titled 'Top Of The World'. It's got sex, romance, fighting, and climbing. It's pretty sweet if I may say so myself. **

**Thanks as always for reading and reviewing. You guys are the best. **


	22. Fun With Military Protocol

_**Fair Warning: The end of this chapter consists of an extended, dirty, foul-mouthed, sweaty, smutty Everlark sex scene. You've been notified. Read at your own risk or pleasure. **_

Peeta's head snaps to the commotion and his eyes widen when he sees Madge on top of Scarlet. The rest of the cadets are silent, most of them still in shock at the sudden turn of events.

Before Peeta can say anything, I yell out.

"Cadet Undersee, Cadet Johnston, report to me immediately!"

Madge quickly stands up and marches over to me, standing in front of me at attention. Scarlet walks over, the anger plain on her face, and takes her place next to Madge. They salute me, and just like before, Scarlet's is fairly pathetic.

I stand up to face them, gently pushing the stroller to the side.

"Care to tell me what that was all about?" I harshly ask, even though I'm well aware of what transpired.

"I witnessed Cadet Johnston attempting to, um, assault Colonel Mellark, so I intervened," Madge explains. I can't help but grin at her description.

"Is this true?" I turn to Scarlet, glaring at her.

"No," she snivels, "she attacked me unprovoked. I was simply trying to ask Colonel Mellark a question."

"Hmmm," I tap my chin with my finger, feigning contemplation.

Scarlet has a smug look on her face, thinking she's about to get away with trying to throw herself at my husband.

"Cadet Undersee, thank you for your vigilance. Report back to Colonel Mellark and continue your training."

Madge tries to hide her smile, salutes crisply, and heads back to the group.

"I saw exactly what happened," I tell Scarlet, loving how her eyes widen in fear.

"I didn't do anything wrong," she tries to protest.

"That's the understatement of the year," I say sarcastically. "Ever since you first showed up at the bakery when I was pregnant, you've been trying your hardest to get my husband in bed. I don't know if you're really in some kind of fucked up love with him, or if you're just trying to get to me. Either way, it ends today. He has made it clear, on numerous occasions, that he's a faithful husband and he wants nothing to do with you. Are you willing to accept that?"

She doesn't answer me directly, just seethes silently. I step closer to her, almost daring her to make a move.

"Colonel Mellark explained that because you refuse to salute properly, I am going to give you a remedial lesson. Salute me, right now."

She lazily brings her right hand up to her face, almost nothing about the salute being correct. It should be crisp, like Madge's, with the arm folded at the correct angle and the fingers rigid.

"That is pathetic," I shake my head. "I have truly failed you if that's the best you can do. Let me show you a proper military salute."

I snap to attention and give my best salute, mocking her.

"See the difference? This is a military gesture, cadet, a sign of respect to your senior officers. Every time you give an improper salute, you owe me fifty pushups. Is that clear?"

"You can't do that!" She whines.

I chuckle at her cluelessness.

"Sure I can. I'm running this class along with my husband. Actually, you're right. I need his approval before I can dole out punishments like that. Hold on." I step to the side a bit. "Peeta!" I call. He turns to me, the rest of the class falling silent so we can converse across the room. "Every time Cadet Johnston gives an improper salute, she owes us fifty pushups. Agreed?"

I can clearly see the grin on his face from here.

"Agreed!" He calls back.

"So, care to try again?" I tease. "Remember what happens if I don't like it."

She really glares at me, her eyes burning with undisguised hatred. I'm really getting a kick out of this whole interaction.

She salutes, and it actually is fairly acceptable. She ends it before I salute back, and that's a big no-no.

"Why did you put your hand down?" I demand angrily. "Surely you're aware that you must wait until the higher-ranking individual salutes you back, right?"

"Sorry, ma'am," she grumbles. I roll my eyes at her apathy.

"Not good enough," I declare. "Give me ten laps around the track, right now."

She doesn't make a move towards the track, so I walk right up to her and grab the front of her shirt roughly.

"I just gave you a direct order," I say calmly, belying my current position. "I expect you to follow it to the letter."

I shove her backwards and she turns and takes off at a dead sprint. I laugh softly and go back to where I was sitting, paying some attention to the twins. I watch her as she runs around the track, and I'm surprised to see she's actually in fairly good shape.

When she's finished, she starts walking back towards the group. I sigh and stand up.

"Cadet Johnston!" I yell. She turns to me. "Where do you think you're going? Front and center, this instant!" I point to the floor in front of me and tap my foot, waiting for her to appear.

She reluctantly jogs over and stands where I'm pointing at attention.

"I'm waiting," I say, hands on my hips.

She realizes what I mean and salutes me, and I'm actually pretty satisfied with it. However, I don't salute her back right away, and she remembers what I told her, maintaining her salute.

"Better," I nod. She looks at me expectantly.

I'm about to salute her back when I remember what started this all. She clearly was attempting to kiss my husband when she knew I'd be watching. She shouldn't get off this easy.

So, instead of saluting her back, I go sit down. She remains at attention, saluting.

I'm not sure how long I'm going to let it go on, but I have to admit that this is the most fun I've had in a while.

Peeta's moving the group to another area and they pass us. Peeta sees what's happening and smiles at me, winking. I smile back and blow him a kiss for Scarlet to see.

"Ma'am?" Scarlet mumbles after about five minutes.

"I didn't give permission to speak freely, cadet," I scold. "Until you hear otherwise, remain in your current position."

"Yes, ma'am," she replies, and I might be wrong, but I think I hear resignation in her tone.

After ten minutes, I can see her arm starting to shake slightly. Beads of sweat run down her face. She's still looking at me expectantly, but I'm currently playing with Josh in my arms.

"Should I let her off the hook?" I ask Josh in a whisper. He giggles and wraps his hand around my finger, trying to bring it to his mouth. "What do you think? Did mommy teach her enough of a lesson?"

I look up at Scarlet and finally relent. I stand up, prop Josh on my left shoulder, and salute her back. She lets out an audible breath as she finally brings her arm down.

"So, cadet, do you understand what is expected of you from this point on?" I ask.

"Yes, ma'am," she replies sadly.

"I think I need to hear it in your own words," I order. She sighs in defeat.

"I will give proper salutes to all higher-ranking soldiers," she reports.

"What else?" I prompt when it's obvious she didn't intend to say anything else. "Look, you can make this easy or you can make this hard. I have no issue with either route. I think I've been pretty fair and calm considering some of the things you've done and some of the things you've said to me. The one thing I can't forgive is what you've said about my children. Now, Scarlet, for the last time, do you understand?"

Her face gets redder and redder as I speak, and I know she's bursting at the seams to insult me.

"I understand," she whispers.

"What was that? I didn't hear you."

"I understand," she says a little louder. "Bitch," she mutters under her breath, thinking I couldn't hear it. But I did.

"That was your very last chance," I inform her. "I'm afraid you've used up all your opportunities to be an acceptable soldier."

"What does that mean?" She snaps.

"You'll be stripped of your rank, no longer in this class, and you'll be reassigned to work detail elsewhere in the District. Seeing as how I'm still your commanding officer, I can choose where to place you. I'm thinking latrine duty."

"You can't!" She screams.

I turn away from her and cover Josh's ears, glaring at her.

"I can, and I just did. So long Scarlet, I'd say it's been fun, but it really hasn't. I warned you again and again, and you chose not to listen. Oh, and I almost forgot. Because you've washed out of basic, you will no longer be housed in the barracks wing. I'm not sure what public housing is left available, but I can't imagine it being overly nice."

She just stares at me, a blank look of shock on her face. I laugh.

"I'm not kidding around," I tell her. "You're done, Scarlet. I'd be surprised if you aren't hauled in for a court martial to explain your actions. I know I'd be willing to testify as a witness."

"Count me in!" Peeta grins. I hadn't realized the rest of the class has been dismissed and Peeta is standing next to me.

"You're dismissed for the last time," I grin. "Run along, Scarlet. I'd like to spend some time with my family."

"You'll regret this!" She snivels. "I will have Peeta, be sure of that!"

"Heard it all before," I wave her off. "If you're not out of my sight in ten seconds I'm going to give you a tutorial in hand-to-hand combat."

"You're still hurt baby," Peeta interjects.

I scowl at him, but it's mostly playful.

Scarlet takes one last look between us and turns, stomping away. I just shake my head at her retreating form.

"Have fun?" Peeta teases as he puts his arm around me, making funny faces at Josh.

"It was entertaining," I admit. "I just had enough of her crap."

"I'm surprised she lasted this long. She would have been a terrible soldier," he smiles.

"Yeah, that's definitely true. I certainly wouldn't want her next to me in a foxhole."

"Enough about her," Peeta declares. "Let's go relax with the kids."

I turn my head and give him a sweet kiss on the lips, returning Josh to the stroller afterwards. We both push it as we leave the training area, heading back to our room.

"Oh, wait one sec Peeta," I stop us in the hallway. "I need to go reassign Scarlet."

"To where?" He asks.

"Latrine duty," I grin.

He shakes his head with a matching grin.

It only takes a couple minutes to reassign her, and I make sure the order is given for her to move rooms. I wonder if she's finally learned her lesson. From her parting shot, it doesn't seem like it. At least we won't have to deal with her in class on a daily basis anymore.

We weave our way back towards our place. We turn one of the last corners and the sight in front of us makes me want to cry in joy.

"Look, Peeta," I whisper, pointing down the hall. He follows my sight line and smiles wide.

It's Annabel and Grayson, walking in the opposite direction. What makes it so special is that they're holding hands tightly, slowly swinging their linked hands between them. It reminds me of that first day after Peeta forgave me, when we had our first date. We spent most of the day walking hand-in-hand just like that.

"They remind me of us," I sigh happily.

"I'm sorry we haven't had much time together like we used to," Peeta says dejectedly.

"What are you talking about?" I ask, slightly confused. "Peeta, I know why we haven't. It's not either of our faults, it's just the circumstance we find ourselves in. Didn't we just renew our vows in a beautiful ceremony and danced at the wonderful reception?"

"Yeah, but I wish we could, I don't know, go on a date or something," he shrugs helplessly as we walk through the door to our place.

"Why don't we try? It's not like we have a shortage of babysitters," I joke.

"We're not exactly in the most romantic of places," he points out.

I chuckle as I set Eve down on the changing table, tickling her as I do.

"I'm sure my amazing husband could figure something out," I say confidently. "I'm pretty sure he loves me enough to do that."

"Okay," he smiles. "Tomorrow night. You and me."

"Good," I smile back, giving him the face he knows means I want a kiss. He steps towards me and locks our lips together. "But tonight, baby, you're not leaving the bedroom."

His eyes widen and then darken in lust. I smirk at my obvious effect on him.

"Soon," I promise him.

We don't feel like taking the kids all the way to the cafeteria, considering they just fell asleep. Peeta takes the initiative and goes by himself, promising to bring back food for both of us. He reappears about twenty minutes later with two full plates.

"They weren't happy about me leaving with these," he grins. "But I wasn't coming back empty-handed."

"My hero," I swoon, kissing him while taking my plate from him.

We eat with our legs tangled on the couch, relishing the chance to be together in a quiet setting. The last few days had been so hectic, with our anniversary and then me getting shot, that it's nice to take a breather.

"I talked to Finnick and Annie while I was there," Peeta tells me. "They're more than happy to come over and babysit tomorrow."

"They're such good friends," I smile.

"We do have great friends, don't we? We're very lucky."

"I'll let you in on a little secret," I whisper in his ear seductively. "You're about to get even luckier."

I slide my hand up his thigh, teasing him. It's pretty blatant that he's getting wildly aroused, if the bulge in his pants means anything.

"Come on," I coax, standing up and tugging on his hand. "Take your wife to bed."

He dutifully follows me into our bedroom, still with a glazed-over look in his eyes.

"Sit," I gently push him down on the edge of the bed. He looks up at me with desire.

I don't know what's currently come over me, but I suddenly have the urge to give him a show. Maybe it's because of what Scarlet almost did, or maybe it's because I think he deserves it. It doesn't matter why, really, I realize.

I start slowly stripping my clothes off, and I can tell I'm making him crazy. I get really close to him, but stop before we're touching. He reaches out a couple times but I slap his hands away.

Once I'm down to my bra and panties, I finally give in. I quickly straddle him and crash my lips down onto his. I slip my tongue in his mouth and I feel his hands around my back, one of them easily unclasping my bra. I let it fall off.

We break the kiss and he moves his lips to my breasts, giving both of them a great deal of attention. One of his hands starts slowly sliding down my torso and finally slips under my panties. I feel two of his fingers enter me, and I moan loudly in approval.

I realize he's still fully dressed, while I'm just in panties, which by now are sopping wet.

"Here, let me help you," I whisper, tugging on his shirt. He gently grasps my wrist and moves my hand away.

"Not yet," he shakes his head. I give him a puzzled look. "I want you to come right here before," he explains.

Just the words help me along.

Peeta increases his ministrations, and I soon find myself writhing on top of him in ecstasy. I collapse my head onto his shoulder when the waves of pleasure finally subside.

"Oh my god," I mumble. "You can do that anytime."

"Glad you approve," he teases. "Does your offer still stand?" He asks, motioning to his clothes.

"Certainly," I grin as I help him lift his shirt off. I reluctantly have to climb off of him so he can get rid of his pants and boxers. It gives me the opportunity to shed my panties, and I quickly slide them off.

"Ladies choice," Peeta says as we prepare to begin.

"I want you on top," I decide, not even having to think about it. "I want you to fuck me, baby."

He smiles as he quickly wraps his arms around my waist and lifts me up easily. He gently tosses me on the bed, careful of my still injured arm. I giggle as he crawls on all fours towards me.

"Let me know if your arm hurts," he pleads.

"It's fine," I assure him. "Don't hold back, honey. I need to feel you inside me."

"As you wish," he whispers.

He leans down to kiss me thoroughly, and while our tongues dance I feel him enter me, causing me to moan into his mouth. He backs out and thrusts back in with force, and I move my hips in unison. We get into a rhythm, and Peeta's thrusts get deeper and harder at my request.

"Oh baby," I groan, "keep going. Don't stop. Never stop."

"Katniss," he moans, and I snake my arm around his neck to bring his lips back to mine.

I feel it starting in the depths of my belly, and it explodes through me, Peeta riding it out with me, thrusting to help prolong the orgasm. I close my eyes and bite my bottom lip, wishing it would never end.

"I love you," I hear him almost whimper. My eyes snap open and I smile wide up at him.

"I love you," I whisper, cradling his cheek gently with my hand.

"I'm almost there," he tells me after a few more minutes. "I'm gonna come, Kat."

I nod in understanding and try my hardest to make it as pleasurable to both of us as possible.

I pull his head back down and put my lips next to his ear.

"Come inside me," I beg. "Fill me up baby. I love you so much. Kiss me. Please kiss me."

He listens, and our lips are firmly locked as I feel him release inside of me. I move my hips a bit in response to his movements, making sure he empties his entire load into me.

"Wow," he mutters, laying his head on my shoulder like I'd done earlier.

I turn my head and kiss his cheek softly. I trace kisses up to his ear.

"Next time, I'll be on top," I whisper.

"I'm going to need a couple minutes," he informs me with a smirk.

"That's fine," I nod. "I guess I'll just have to entertain myself until you're ready."

I teasingly start fondling myself with one hand while sliding the other down my body.

"Mmm," I moan. "This might actually be better alone," I keep teasing him.

"Hey!" He sounds offended. I giggle.

"Sorry, you needed a break. I didn't," I shrug.

"Fine," he huffs adorably. "That's how you want to play it?"

He sits up on his knees and grabs my hips forcefully. I love when he gets assertive like this.

"I wanted to be on top," I whine.

"Nope," he shakes his head. "You're going to get fucked just like this."

Oh my god. Does he have any idea what that does to me?

"Please," I'm suddenly needy, almost pleading with him.

"Well, Mrs. Mellark, I think it's about time I showed you who's in charge," he smirks.

"You really want to go there?" I raise one eyebrow playfully.

"Fair enough," he relents. "Yes, you're in charge. I know. But can't we just pretend for a few minutes?"

"Of course honey," I smile. "Ravage me."

"Right away."

He positions himself at my entrance and I grasp his erection to help guide him in.

Right when I feel the tip enter me, the baby monitor comes to life, wails filling the room.

"Really?" We both say in unison.

"Looks like you get your break after all," I joke.

"Kat, I love our kids just as much as you do, but right now, they're being quite inconsiderate of their parents' needs."

"Come on big boy," I tug on his hand as I get out of bed. "When we get back you can have free reign. Whatever you want, I'll be a willing, happy participant."

"Oh god yes," he breathes as he darts out of bed.

I shake my head at his antics. I know him too well.

**A/N: So that was a lot of fun to write the whole Katniss/Scarlet scene. I love how Katniss used her position to make it hell for her. Scarlet's such a bitch, but I guess that is how I wrote her to begin with! **

**I thought it was also time for a little more smutty Everlark action. They've been going through a lot of shit lately, it was time for them to kick back and relax a bit. I hope everyone enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. **

**I'm pretty disappointed with the number of reviews my latest chapter of 'Top Of The World' received. One of the reasons I post so often is because I USUALLY receive a ton of reviews. When I only get a handful, I'm not as motivated to write. So, in conclusion, REVIEW! PLEASE!**

**Thanks as always for reading and reviewing. Next chapter of 'Top Of The World' will be posted later this evening. **


	23. Peeta Takes Katniss On A Date

_**Fair Warning: The middle of this chapter consists of a highly erotic, over the top smutty, sweat inducing Everlark sex scene. You've been notified. **_

"Plutarch, if you at all value your life, you'll make sure we're out of this godforsaken studio in a matter of minutes," I threaten seriously.

Plutarch's eyes bug out in fear and he quickly goes back to readying the next shot.

We're making our first Propo in a while. First, Peeta got shot protecting me, then I got shot protecting him. Plutarch talked to my doctors and they decided I was healed up enough to film.

Peeta remain silent while I verbally berate Plutarch, knowing he can't really do all that much about it. I'm getting fed up fast with all of this. I know we agreed, and it's part of our deal with Coin, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

"The Propo we made from your anniversary is wildly popular all over Panem," Plutarch tells us with pride. "Especially the parts where you renew your vows, and when Katniss dove in front of that bullet to save her husband."

"You aired that?" I ask incredulously. "The ceremony I don't have a problem with, but you actually broadcasted me getting shot?"

"Of course," he replies like he can't believe I'm even questioning it. "Your love story is helping bring more and more people to our side of this war," he explains. "What shows your love for your husband more than you sacrificing yourself for him?"

"I guess," I huff. "In the future, Peeta and I are to be consulted on everything you air pertaining to us. Understood?" I demand harshly.

"Yes, Mrs. Mellark," he acquiesces immediately.

"Good. Now let's finish this up. We want to be with our kids."

That's the truth if I've ever spoken it. The twins are waiting for us at Prim's. I have another reason for hurrying this along as well, and that is that tonight Peeta is taking me on a date.

Some people might find it ironic or funny that we're so excited about a date when we've been married for over a year. Not us, though. I haven't been this excited about something in weeks. Peeta knew we both needed it, so, like he always does, my husband came through for us.

Plutarch heeds my advice, and we shoot the last few minutes he needs. This Propo is about what everyone saw from our anniversary. We talk in depth about how even in the middle of a devastating war we all should take any opportunity to celebrate what we do have. We don't know what's in store for us in the future. We could be dead tomorrow, so why waste today?

Finally Plutarch yells cut and wraps the Propo up.

"I want to see it when you've edited it," I tell him while Peeta and I get ready to leave. "_Before_ you put it on air. And I will be talking to Beetee, so don't even think about not listening to me."

"Yes, Mrs. Mellark," he nods nervously.

"Thanks Plutarch," Peeta tries to cut the tension between us. "We appreciate you helping us."

"Of course," he shrugs.

As we walk out, I find Peeta's hand and lace our fingers together. We start back towards Prim's and our children.

"Okay, what's wrong?" Peeta asks. I haven't said a word since we left the studio.

"Nothing," I try to deflect. He sees right through it.

"I thought we agreed to never lie to each other," he says, almost sadly.

"Sorry," I apologize, unable to meet his gaze.

"Come on, Prim said to take as much time as we needed," he whispers as he tugs on my hand, leading me towards an empty conference room.

He shuts the door behind us and we're alone.

"Now tell me what's going on," he gently requests.

I sigh and run my hand through my hair.

"It's nothing specific," I begin. He nods for me to continue. I do after a moment. "I just think being here, all of this, is starting to get to me. The last time we were outside is when we went on the rescue mission, and we both remember how that turned out. I just – I just want to live peacefully, quietly, with you and our kids."

"I know," he whispers comfortingly as he steps forwards and wraps me up in his strong arms. I grasp onto his shirt with both my hands, scared he'll disappear if I let go. "We're doing the right thing, Kat. I feel the same way you do. I wish it didn't have to be like this, but it is. The more we help the Rebellion, the sooner we go home."

"I know," I echo as I begin quietly sobbing. I never cried before I met Peeta. "I'm terrified of losing you honey," I admit tearfully. "In the past month we've both been shot protecting each other. We were supposed to be safe from all that."

"You'll never lose me, understand?" He leaves no room for discussion. "You're a part of me, Katniss, and you always will be. I'm so sorry that we've been put in dangerous, life threatening situations. I failed you. It's supposed to be my job to protect this family from anything and everything. I'm not doing a very good job right now, am I?"

"Don't you dare think that," I almost yell as I look up to him. "I know you take your job as husband and father seriously. It just makes me love you even more than I already do. I realize that both of those incidents were, well, unavoidable. There's no way you and I would ever leave our friends to face death like that. And how were either of us supposed to know Francis would walk into our anniversary reception intending to murder you? Come on baby. Please don't put any of this on yourself. You're always too noble to blame anyone but you. While I love that about you, right now it's just causing you pain. So stop."

"I'll try," he agrees after a couple moments.

"Not good enough," I shake my head slightly.

"I promise, Katniss."

"Better," I tilt my head side to side, then lean up and give him a kiss on the lips.

"So do you feel a little bit better about all this now?" He asks.

"A little," I admit. "But I don't think anything can make me stop being homesick. And by homesick I mean every minute of every day I wish the four of us were enjoying a sunny summer day in the meadow, or swimming at the lake."

"You know that's what I want too," he assures me gently. "Let's go see our kids Mrs. Mellark."

"Lead the way, Mr. Mellark," I give him the best smile I can muster.

He takes my hand as we exit the room and go back into the hallway, which is bustling with activity. I'm glad we had that conversation in private, not out here for the whole District to see. As we walk, I lean into him, and he gives the crown of my head a kiss.

Prim somehow opens the door while my hand is in the air about to knock.

"How'd it go?" She asks impatiently.

"Okay," Peeta reports. "Katniss got a little agitated after a while."

"That's the understatement of the year," I grumble.

"I'm sure it'll turn out great," Prim smiles, trying to cheer me up. "Do you want the twins? I can tell they miss you guys. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't want them to stay."

"Sorry, little duck," I smile softly. "We need some time as a family right now."

"Sure, no problem," she replies as she opens the door wider to let us in.

We each scoop up one of our kids and Peeta pushes the empty stroller and slings the diaper bag over his shoulder.

"I can take that," I reach out towards the bag.

"No, I've got it," Peeta turns so it's out of my reach.

"Peeta, my arm is fine," I snap, and it comes out way harsher than I'd intended.

"You can get as mad as you want, but I'm not changing my mind," he states defiantly as he starts out of the room, but not before getting a kiss from Prim on the cheek.

I huff and sigh then give Prim a hug, thanking her.

We walk to our room in silence, and I scold myself for again causing tension between us. I feel incredibly guilty, even though I know it's a really minor argument.

Peeta goes directly to the twins' bedroom and starts changing Eve's diaper. I follow him and do the same with Josh. He finishes and exits the room without even a glance in my direction. I hurt him more than I thought by snapping at him.

I try to clear my head by concentrating on cleaning up our son. He's always so good for me. He's already a mama's boy, Peeta always tells me.

I finish up and take a moment before I head out to the living room. I hope I can fix this soon. I don't want it to ruin our date night.

"What time is our date?" I ask Peeta as I sit next to him on the couch, Josh nestled into my shoulder.

"Six," he replies evenly, without emotion. "Finnick and Annie will be here at quarter of."

"Okay," I say quietly.

Silence falls over the room, the only sounds coming from the infants in our arms.

"I'm sorry," I blurt out. "I overreacted and bit your head off. I'm an idiot. I can't stand you being mad at me honey. I hate it. It's the worst feeling in the world."

He sighs loudly, still not looking at me. He's staring intently at the carpet instead.

"It's fine," he tells me unconvincingly.

"It's obviously not fine," I gently reply, careful of my tone. "Tell me what you need. Please baby. I – I – I don't know what to do or say." By the end I'm sobbing yet again, tears streaking down my cheeks, flowing from my glassy eyes.

"I need my wife to let me take care of her sometimes," he says quietly. "I know you're strong and used to doing things on your own, even after we got married. But it really hurts when I try to help you and you refuse to let me."

His words hit me hard. All he wants to do is take good care of his wife, and I yell at him and get mad because of it. I realize this is about way more than what I said back at Prim's.

"You're right," I finally admit. "I do act like that, and most of the time I don't even realize it. I'm blind to how I hurt you when I do. I'm trying Peeta, I promise. I'll do better. Just please don't shut me out. I wouldn't be able to handle that, not now, not ever."

He turns his head to look at me, and my heart shatters at the look on his face, the hurt evident in his eyes.

"I can't believe you think I could be even remotely that cruel," he painfully whispers.

That just makes me cry harder, my body starting to shake from how emotional I am. The only thing keeping me together at this point is the weight of my son against my shoulder, the steady beats of his tiny heart.

"Do you even realize how much it hurts to have my wife doubt me like that? I thought we were way past this, Kat. We might not fight like this very often, but it's sure not going to tear us apart. Nothing on earth could do that. Haven't I repeatedly proved that to you?"

"I'm a terrible wife," I sob sadly, unable to look in his eyes anymore. It's breaking my heart by the second.

He sighs loudly and I feel his free hand on my cheek, gently turning my head to face him.

"I don't ever want to hear those words come out of your mouth again, you hear me? You're my wife, the mother of my children, and you're as close to perfect as you can get. Everyone makes mistakes from time to time, but we learn from them and move on. I'm sorry I was so cold to you. It was childish and not the way to resolve this. Please forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive," I cry softly. "I'm the one who should be apologizing."

"I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree again, huh?" He smiles.

"Are we still going on a date?" I ask timidly.

"Nothing's going to keep me from romancing my wife this evening," he declares.

I smile through my tears at his loving words. It always amazes me how fast we can go from an argument to being happy again.

"Actually, speaking of our date, I need to go run a couple errands. Will you be okay here with the kids?"

I roll my eyes sarcastically.

"I _am_ their mother," I remind him with a grin. "I'm pretty sure I know how to take care of my own kids."

"Fair enough," he grins back.

He stands up to leave, carefully setting Josh down in his carrier.

"Where do you think you're going?" I question him. He looks at me with a puzzled expression. "You're not leaving this room until you give your wife and children a kiss."

His smile widens as he quickly walks back to me, kneeling in front of me. I lean forward to meet him halfway, and the kiss is anything but mundane. He pulls away before I'd like, and I whimper. He smirks and kisses Eve gently on her head.

"You take care of your mother, okay?" He coos to her. He stands back up. "I truly have the most beautiful girls in all of Panem."

"Go kiss your soon goodbye," I tell him before I just refuse to let him leave and drag him to our bed.

He bends down to kiss our son and gives us all a wave as he exits through the front door.

Suddenly I find myself struggling to keep my eyes open. I get up and scoop Josh out of his carrier and carry the twins with me to our bedroom. I carefully lie them down in the middle of the bed and crawl in next to them, rolling to my side so I can see them and keep an eye on them.

It only takes a few minutes for all three of us to fall asleep.

When I wake up the first thing I do is make sure the kids are okay. They're both still sleeping, and I'm sure a more adorable scene doesn't exist. That's when I realize I'm not alone on this side of the bed.

Somehow, Peeta wormed his way onto the bed and is spooning me from behind. I can hear his even breaths, alerting me he's still sleeping. I reach up and grasp the arm that's gently resting on my raised hip and pull it around me tightly. He rustles in his sleep and mumbles something that resembles my name.

Even though I know some more sleep would be amazing, I can't bring myself to tear my eyes away from the scene. It's just so perfect, so comforting, so incredibly safe.

After a few more minutes, I feel and hear Peeta begin to wake. The next thing I feel are his lips on the back of my neck. I let out a quiet moan, trying not to wake the twins.

"Get everything done you needed to do?" I whisper.

He leans over and kisses my cheek.

"Yup," he whispers into my ear as he kisses it.

"What time is it?" I ask, too lazy to look at the clock on the bedside table.

"Almost five," he answers.

"Oh my god why did we sleep so late?" I start to panic. "I have to start getting ready!"

Peeta laughs quietly, burying his face into my hair.

"Go ahead," he coaxes. "You can have the shower first."

"I have a better idea," I defiantly state. "We put our children in their cribs and share the shower. We should do our part conserving water, don't you think?"

"Mmm," he moans as he starts kissing my bare skin again. "I like your option better."

Barely five minutes later, we're naked under the flow of water. Peeta reaches out for the shampoo, intent on washing my hair like he always does. I stop him before he can grab the bottle.

"I think, if we hurry, we have time for you to fuck me against the wall," I explain saucily.

"Oh god yes," he exhales happily.

I easily lift myself up and wrap my legs around his waist, locking my ankles in the small of his back. My breasts push up against his toned chest, and I find myself highly aroused, already moving towards an orgasm and we haven't even really started yet.

He backs me up against the wall and I shiver slightly as my skin presses against the cool tile.

"You're so beautiful," he mumbles into my mouth as we feverishly kiss.

I deepen the kiss further, grasping his hair with one hand while I slip the other down his body until I grasp his erection.

"We don't have much time," I remind him, resting my forehead against his.

"I know," he nods.

"That means you have to fuck me hard, baby. Make me come. I want you to pound into my pussy."

I guide him into my wet, warm, waiting folds and I feel him enter me. I aid him as he starts to thrust by bucking my hips in unison, helping to bury him as deep inside me as possible. I decide it's not nearly hard or fast enough.

"Harder," I demand. "Faster. Don't worry about being tender or gentle. I'm yours, Peeta Mellark. I want you to fuck me possessively. Remind me who my pussy belongs to."

That sets a fire deep within him, and his eyes darken considerably in pure animal lust.

He kicks into high gear and starts pounding into me harder than I can ever remember. I wrap my arms around his neck and hold on for dear life as he completely rocks my world, showing me just how passionate we can be.

"That's it," I goad him on, nibbling his earlobe gently. "Oh god!" I moan as his thrusts only increase in frequency as my husband takes me against the wall of our shower.

I'm not sure what to call what we're currently doing. It's definitely nothing like the slow, gentle, tender way we often make love. It's kind of like the other times we've had quickies, which can really be classified as sex or fucking. No, this is in a category all by itself. While I absolutely love and cherish when we take it slow, stoking our fires over hours of enjoying one another, I have to concede that having him completely ravage me, uncontrollably, is one of the most arousing, explosive sexual experiences of my life. It's almost animalistic, and I can tell Peeta is thoroughly enjoying being in charge while I submit to him, pleading and begging for him to fuck me as hard as he can.

The two orgasms he brings me to are indescribable. I have to bite down on his shoulder to keep myself from screaming at the top of my lungs. He smirks at his effect on me as he doesn't even think about stopping. He prolongs my release so much that I'm fairly sure there isn't even the smallest of breaks between my orgasms. He somehow is able to turn my aftershocks into earthquakes.

"Are you going to come soon?" I ask him after a few minutes. While I wouldn't mind doing this for the foreseeable future, I know Peeta has planned a wonderful date for us and I can't wait for it.

"Yeah," he groans, the first words he's spoken in a while.

"Where do you want to come?" I whisper.

He looks away nervously, but continues thrusting into me.

"It's okay," I turn his head back to me. "You can tell me. I promise whatever it is, I'll happily do it."

"I, um, uh," he stutters. I almost laugh at the irony of his nervousness while he continues to repeatedly bury himself inside me forcefully.

"If you don't tell me I'm going to have to guess," I tease.

When, after a minute goes by and he still hasn't answered me, I take matters into my own hands.

"You tell me when you're about to come, okay?"

He nods, and his nervousness is quickly replaced, his expression returning to its previous lustful gaze.

"You're so warm," he moans into my mouth as I kiss him hard.

"Keep fucking me until you come," I almost beg. "I want you to let it all go. This District, the Propos, all our stress. It's just you and me baby. I'm yours to do with as you please. You're the only person on this earth that makes me this warm and wet. Is it tight enough for you?"

He nods, but I still use my legs to pull him even closer, in turn tightening the walls around his cock inside me.

That does it for him, and I can tell he's about to explode.

I thrust down hard a couple times, causing both of us to groan, then, as quickly as I can, lift myself off him and kneel in front of him. I take him completely by surprise as I wrap my lips around his erection, sucking his entire length in one swift move.

"This is what you wanted, isn't it?" I ask him as I look up into his eyes.

He nods sheepishly.

I smirk at how well I know my husband and continue bobbing my head, intent on giving him as wonderful of an orgasm as he gave me.

"Ohhh," I hear him moan. At the same time, I feel him burst, the familiar taste of his warm come saturating the inside of my mouth.

I make sure I receive his entire load by continuing to suck him off, but I don't let him completely out of my mouth, as I refuse to let even a drop escape.

When I'm sure he's given me all he can, I swallow the load and then clean his still hard erection with my lips, making sure I don't miss any spots on it or his sac. The last thing I do before I stand up to resume our shower is kiss the very tip of his length, which always causes him to shudder with pleasure.

"Now we really have to hurry," I smirk as we start washing each other as fast as we can.

"Worth it," he smirks back.

Finnick and Annie show up right on time, and Peeta meets them at the door as I'm still getting ready. Peeta quickly brings the twins into our bedroom so I can kiss them goodnight, then Finnick and Annie leave to take them to their place until we pick them up later on. Annie insists that if we want, they'd be more than happy to watch them for the whole night. Peeta tells her we'll think about it and let them know later.

Finally, I'm ready, and I meet Peeta in the living room. His mouth drops open when he sees me.

Now I'm really thankful I thought to pack a few dresses when we left 12. I'm wearing one of the more simple designs Cinna and I came up with. It's a form fitting white dress that barely covers half my thighs. When I looked at myself in the mirror after I slipped it on, I was amazed at how fast my figure has returned after my pregnancy.

Peeta obviously agrees as his eyes rake up and down my body. I let him look all he wants. He looks incredibly handsome in his dark suit. He's wearing a sharp dark green tie, and I know he did it because it's my favorite color.

"Shall we?" He holds his arm out. I giggle and loop mine through, leaning up to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm ready to be romanced," I announce as we leave.

I have no idea where we're going, but I remain quiet, letting him surprise me. I know how much he loves to, and I've come to realize that it's an extension of his love for me, yet another way he dotes on his wife.

We take an elevator up, arriving at a floor I don't recognize. It's noticeably vacant of any people or soldiers.

"Where are we?" I ask.

"You'll see," he mysteriously replies.

We end up at the end of the hall, facing a large door that reads, 'Authorized Personnel Only, Trespassing Forbidden'.

"Are you sure this is okay? I don't want you getting in trouble just to take me on a date," I almost frantically question.

"Trust me," is his short reply. I nod. "Here, put this on."

He holds out a blindfold to me and I playfully glare at him, but tie it around my head to appease him. I feel him come around the back of me and wrap his arms around my torso, walking us forward. I hear the door open, and I'm instantly bombarded with a plethora of scents.

I could almost swear it smells like the forest. My nose picks up the distinct aura of tree sap and I can hear small game rustling in leaves. I don't know how Peeta did this in an underground bunker. He keeps walking us forward and we stop after a couple minutes.

"Okay, we're here," he whispers as he unties the blindfold.

It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust, but when they do, I gasp as my hand shoots to cover my gaping mouth.

Peeta's taken us outside, into the forest. We're in a clearing in the middle of the woods. There's a picnic waiting for us a few feet away.

"Oh honey," I'm almost at a loss for words. "You didn't have to do all this for me."

"Who says I did it just for you?" He smiles. "We both needed to relax a bit."

"This is perfect," I assure him as I turn to kiss him.

He beams at me and we move to the picnic, sitting down carefully on the spread out blanket.

Peeta starts unloading the large basket, and I'm eager to see what's he brought for us.

Of course he'd pack my favorite foods. I should've seen that one coming from a mile away. There's a huge bowl of cheese buns, obviously baked by him. There's a large container of lamb stew, still warm. There are grilled vegetables and even a small cake for dessert. He serves both of us then breaks out a bottle of wine, uncorking it and pouring us each a glass.

He raises his glass and I repeat his actions.

"To us," he simply toasts.

"To us," I echo.

We take a sip then lean in for a quick kiss before we dig in.

The conversation flows as we eat, and any remaining tension or worry from our previous argument is long gone, forgotten. As the sun starts to set, Peeta lights a small lantern and hangs it on a branch to illuminate our little clearing.

Before we eat the delicious looking cake, I take a moment to admire the detail and effort he put into it. On the top, in red icing, there's a simple heart with the letters 'K' and 'P' almost intertwined. It's perfect.

Just like I suspected, the cake is amazing. I have to stop myself from eating too many pieces, and Peeta chuckles at my lack of restraint.

"So did I do okay?" He asks when we start to clean up.

"Are you really asking that?" I smirk with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm really glad I could give you some peace and quiet," he softly says.

"I have the best husband in the world," I declare seriously. "And he needs to be thanked, immediately."

Peeta understands my sensual tone and quickens his pace, throwing everything into the basket. He starts to stand up to roll the blanket up but I just catch his shirt, pulling him back down to me.

"I don't think you understand, Mr. Mellark. You're going to be thanked, thoroughly, right here and right now."

His smile melts my heart into a puddle of goo, and I start seriously thinking about letting Finnick and Annie keep the twins for the night so I can do unspeakable things to my husband.

"Now get this dress off of me," I demand.

"I'm really good at getting into your panties," he jokes as he starts pulling my dress off.

I giggle and he looks up at me.

"Who said I'm wearing panties?"

**A/N: Whew that was a long chapter. I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I did. I might have gone a little overboard with the smut, but once I start it's kinda hard to stop. If you've been reading 'Top Of The World', you know what I mean. **

**Speaking of my other story, I've noticed a considerable decline in the number of reviews my new chapters (in both my current THG fics) are receiving. I might be hypocritical, as I don't review every story I read, but I would really appreciate to hear your guys' feedback. It helps me become a better writer. So please, take a few seconds and throw me a review. It doesn't even have to be more than just one word. **

**Thanks, as always, for reading and reviewing. I hope everyone's year has started out great. **

**Until next time. **


	24. Fights & Sentences

_**Fair Warning: This chapter contains a raunchy, smutty Everlark sex scene. You've been notified. **_

It's painfully obvious that I'm alone in our bed when I wake up. The last time I'd opened my eyes, maybe three hours ago, he was tightly spooned into my back. I could plainly feel his flaccid length pressed up against my butt as we slept.

I sit up and glance around our bedroom. There's no sign of my husband. I start to get out of bed, and I realize that I'm still completely naked. After I thanked Peeta profusely in the woods for our date, I'd dragged him back inside, quickly retrieved the twins from the O'Dairs, put them to bed, and pretty much threw him onto our bed. I practically attacked him, and he was more than receptive to my advances.

As I walk to the dresser I notice the white dress I wore last night, crumpled up on the floor. I was so worked up that I basically demanded he just rip it off me, but he gently pulled it over my head so as to not ruin it, and tossed it to the floor.

I find a pair of Peeta's boxers and slip them on. I search through his t-shirts looking for one that smells the most like him. When I find a white tee that radiates his scent, I pull it over my head.

Glancing at the bedside table, I notice that the baby monitor is clicked off. I distinctly remember turning it on last night, so Peeta must've decided to let me sleep a bit. I can't say I'm not grateful after the night we just had.

Quickly, I brush my teeth and take in my appearance in the mirror. If there's a look that says 'I just spent hours getting completely ravished by my husband', I'm certainly wearing it right now. My hair is disheveled, my face is flush, and my eyes show how blissful I am. I sigh happily as I rinse my mouth out. I reign in my hair and braid it back.

Peeta's not in the living room or the kitchen, leaving only one place for him to be. I creep silently towards the door to the twins' bedroom. It's open just a sliver, and I take up a position on the wall right next to it.

"Come on Josh," I hear Peeta coaxing, "help me out little man. I know you wish your mom was the one changing you, but you're stuck with me kiddo."

I smile imagining the scene behind the door. Peeta trying to change Josh, who is giving him a hard time. It amazes me how no matter what they do to him, Peeta never even comes close to loosing his cool around the twins.

"There we go." I can hear the grin in Peeta's voice. "Maybe now you'll let your dad relax for a couple minutes before you decide to make yourself all stinky again. Yeah? You going to help daddy out?"

I stifle the giggle that escapes, wanting to stay where I am and listen to Peeta as he interacts with our kids.

"Your turn," Peeta coos, and I assume he's picked up Eve. "Baby girl, I need a favor. I need you to not be as stubborn as your mom right now, okay? Let's work together and I promise I'll make this quick."

Eve has a tendency to give Peeta quite a hard time when he changes her. When I do, however, all it takes is one look from me for her to behave. I think she just realizes how much of a pushover her father is, and she takes advantage of that. I can't really blame her, considering I probably taught her how to do it.

"Oh Evey," Peeta sighs. "You couldn't do that _before _I took your diaper off? Now the blanket is all wet sweetie."

There's a few seconds of silence, then I hear the very distinct sound of Eve beginning to cry.

"Oh no no no," Peeta frantically whispers. "Come here baby. Daddy's sorry for getting angry. I'm not mad at you, I promise. Shhh. I love you, I love you so much my beautiful girl."

If there's one thing my husband is good at, it's calming our children down. Eve's cries die out to a whimper as he soothes her.

"You look more like your mom every day, you know that? You're going to be every bit as beautiful as her. We're all lucky you got her looks," he jokes. "I can't wait until your hair is long enough so your mom can teach you how to braid it. You're going to look so pretty. Not that you aren't already," he quickly amends.

He starts humming a lullaby and I know he's slowly pacing the room with Eve in his arms. After a few minutes he gets quieter and quieter until there's only silence.

"That's my girl," he whispers. I can barely hear him. "Close your eyes. Daddy's got you. I'm never letting you go. You, your mom, and your brother are my world. Have I ever told you about the day we found out about you?"

His words are soft and soothing, and I'm fairly certain that if Eve isn't already asleep, she's quickly heading there.

"I came home from the bakery and as soon as I walked in the door your mom came barreling into me. Don't tell her this, but I absolutely love how she reacts when I see her for the first time after I've been gone. Anyways, while we ate dinner, your mother was pretty quiet. She'd had a rough morning, so I really didn't think anything of it. I knew if she wanted to talk about it, she'd let me know."

He's right. I still loathe cooking, but since we've been in 13 we haven't had to. As Peeta continues his story, I'm brought back to that day. How it began with the argument with Gale in the woods. How I ran as fast as I could to my husband, who let me vent my frustrations and cry it out. Then came the doctor's appointment where I discovered I was pregnant. Looking back on that day, it's easily one of the happiest days of my life if only because it was the first time I knew about the life growing inside of me.

"This all happened only a week after we'd gotten married. Both of us were still getting used to the fact that we were husband and wife, but I'm pretty sure we'd never been happier. After we finished eating, your mom took me by the hand, not saying a word, and led me upstairs. She tugged me into an empty bedroom and told me we were going to have to paint it. When I asked her why, she told me it was because our family was about to get bigger."

I remember that moment vividly, like it just happened. The look of shock on Peeta's face, which quickly turned to absolute joy. How he asked for confirmation, then, once I'd given it, how he lifted me in his arms and proclaimed his love for me.

"That was when we found out we were going to meet you and your brother, even if we didn't know yet that you were going to be twins. That was one of the happiest moments of my entire life. Your mother was the only mother I'd ever wanted for my kids, and that dream was coming true. You can't possibly know how much your mother and I love you, baby girl. You're going to grow up to be such a wonderful person, and I'm honored to have the privilege of raising you."

I can't help it. Peeta's words make me emotional, and I feel tears start to fall down my face.

I hear the quiet sounds of Peeta putting Eve in her crib, the soft rustle as he tucks her in and the sweet sound of the kiss he gives her.

"Sleep tight, my angel. Daddy and mommy are here to protect you."

Peeta sighs and starts making his way to the door. I debate momentarily then quickly dart to the couch, barely sitting before he appears.

"Kat!," he exclaims, surprised. "You're up."

"Good morning honey," I smile.

He sits next to me on the couch and we turn to each other and share the first kiss of the day. My residual emotions are poured into it, and when we part Peeta notices the remnants of my happy tears.

"What happened?" He gently asks. "Are you okay?"

"It's not what you think," I assure him. "They aren't tears of sadness."

"Oh," he nods. "So what then?"

"The story you told Eve. I was remembering that day," I whisper.

I know Peeta could care less that I eavesdropped. He's told me multiple times he doesn't mind in the slightest, but I still feel a little guilty I spied on his time with the kids.

"I don't think she heard much of it unfortunately," he grins. "She was pretty wiped out."

"Well you'll just have to tell her again when she's older," I decide.

"You're right. She should know how happy she made us even then."

I nod, smiling.

"What are we doing today?" I ask after a moment.

"Not too much," he shrugs. "There's no class today because our cadets are attending some classroom learning, and I haven't heard anything about us filming another Propo."

"Good," I say, relieved. "I'm pretty sure I'd be tempted to kill Plutarch if we had to make another damn Propo today."

"God you're sexy when you get angry," he blurts out.

"So when we argued yesterday you were thinking about how sexy I looked?" I tease.

"Obviously," he smirks. "Can you blame me? I have the hottest wife on the planet. Don't think I don't see every guy in this District ogling you."

"I kind of like it," I tease back. His eyes widen, almost bugging out of his head. I giggle. "Remember, I'm completely aware of the looks you get from all the females here."

"You know I only have eyes for you," he says sincerely. "I know this sounds possessive or selfish, but you're mine. All those other guys can fuck off for all I care."

"Damn right I'm yours," I poke him in the chest. "Don't you forget it either."

"How could I when you ask me to fuck you like you did yesterday in the shower?"

"Oh god baby," I moan. "You rocked my world in that shower. You've never fucked me that hard, that wildly."

"So you enjoyed it as much as I did?" He smirks.

"More," I protest. "Let me be honest for a second. I absolutely love and cherish when we take it slow, when we make love. You always make me feel like the center of your universe, and you always insist on focusing solely on my pleasure. But what we did yesterday, well, I might just have to ask you for a repeat performance daily. You drove me crazy when you pounded into me as hard as you could. I told you my pussy belongs to you, and you didn't hesitate to prove me right. I'm going to have a hard time not making you bend me over any random surface and fuck me until you've came inside me, or in my mouth, or really anywhere on my body."

I can easily see how aroused my little speech has made him, if the growing bulge in his pants mean anything. I wonder what his boxers that I'm wearing are going to look like, considering I'm about as wet as I ever have been.

"Peeta?"

"Hmm?"

"Fuck my brains out."

"Right now?" He asks excitedly. I roll my eyes.

"Yes, right now," I half-scold.

"I can certainly do that," he smiles wide. "Where would you like this to take place honey?"

I ponder for a few moments, glancing around our quarters, trying to think of a surface we haven't christened yet.

"Come on," I quickly say as I stand up, tugging on his hand. He stands up and waits for me to lead him.

I pull him into the kitchen and, as fast as I can, hop up onto the kitchen table. I spread my legs and wrap them around him, bringing him close.

"Right here," I decree.

His eyes darken with lust, I'm sure matching my own. I'm ready for him to fuck me into submission.

Our lips meet in an incredibly hot kiss, and our tongues dance for a few minutes until we can't take it anymore. I reach for his pants, undoing his belt buckle and unsnapping the button frantically. At the same time, he's tugging at the bottom of my shirt, and I momentarily raise my arms for him to pull it off of me. As I didn't put a bra on, I'm only wearing his boxers now.

I loosen his pants enough to slide them down over his thighs, pooling them around his feet.

"You're so beautiful," he mumbles as he leans forwards and takes my breasts in his mouth.

I reach down and grasp his semi-erect cock, stroking until I feel it grow to its maximum in my hand. Quickly, I help him take his shirt off.

Our gazes meet, and we're both still and silent for a moment as we stare at one another, the lust we both feel exponentially growing by the second.

Peeta's the first to spring into action. He grabs the boxers I'm wearing and almost violently tries to get them off me. I raise my hips off the table, allowing him access. He rips them off me, and I wouldn't be surprised if they're now ruined. It's the least of our concerns.

He reaches down and stokes my fire a bit. I groan as my pleasure builds, until nothing but him pounding into me even remotely will satisfy me.

"Peeta," I almost whimper. "Show me baby. Show me how hard you can fuck your wife."

I feel him slip inside me and push into me quickly. He begins thrusting, slowly building up his tempo.

"That's it," I encourage him. "Your cock feels so good inside of me right now."

That spurs him on and he grips my hips as he relentlessly drives into me, each thrust getting harder and harder.

"Oh shit I'm going to come," I inform him breathily.

"Come around me inside you," he almost begs. "I need you, Kat. All of you."

He slams into me as my orgasm hits, and it's even more explosive than my experience in the shower yesterday. He clamps his hand over my mouth, preventing me from waking the twins up by screaming in ecstasy. We're already loud enough as it is.

Peeta doesn't slow down a bit, and I'm truly amazed at his stamina. He's really doing most of the work, I've never seen a more determined look on his face.

"Here it comes," he warns after a few more minutes.

"I want you to come all over me," I declare immediately.

"What do you mean?" He groans out.

"I want you to come on my body," I explain a tad nervously. "I want to feel your warm come on my boobs, my stomach. Drench me Peeta, don't hold back."

He works us into a frenzy as his orgasm approaches. The last couple thrusts before he pulls out are almost violent in how hard they are. He pulls out and I slide down a bit to make it easier for him.

Watching him stroke himself over me has a profoundly erotic effect on me. I reach up and cradle his sac in my fingers, and he works himself faster.

He explodes, and soon his come is all over my chest and stomach. I help him empty himself by aiding in his strokes. Once he's spent, he almost collapses on top of me in exhaustion.

He looks down at me, admiring his handy work. I'm completely ravaged, one hundred percent at his mercy. He could ask anything of me right now and I'd have no way of denying him. I'm under his spell so to speak, submissive to him wholly.

I run my fingers over where his warm release is covering my bare skin, reaching up and sucking it off my fingers methodically.

"You need a shower," he jokes.

"I think we both do," I smirk, motioning to the layer of sweat covering his body.

Before I have a chance to move, he scoops me up bridal style and starts towards the shower. I loop my arms around his neck like always and he smiles down at me.

"That was incredible," I tell him.

"You could say that again," he grins.

"That was incredible," I repeat. He chuckles and I giggle.

Our shower is refreshing and rejuvenating. We resist the urge to repeat our performance and focus instead on washing one another.

Once we're dried off, dressed, and I've re-braided my hair, we make our way back into the living room. That's when we notice an envelope that has been slid under the front door.

Peeta reaches down to pick it up, and we go to the couch. He sits and I crawl onto his lap so we can both find out what it is at the same time.

It's addressed to 'Mr. and Mrs. Mellark', but neither of us recognize the handwriting.

He opens the envelope and there's a folded piece of paper inside. He unfolds it and we both start reading.

_Mr. and Mrs. Mellark, _

_Your presence is required at the sentencing of Francis Burton for treason, attempted murder, espionage, and various other charges. _

_The proceedings will take place at one this afternoon on Level J14. Please arrive at least five minutes prior to the scheduled start time. _

_Mr. Burton has been convicted, by a lawful tribunal, of all the charges leveled at him._

_Providing Mr. Burton is sentenced to death, the sentence will be carried out immediately. _

_Thank you for your cooperation. _

_Talia Fern, senior aide to President Alma Coin_

"I can try and get us out of this if you don't want to go," Peeta immediately tells me.

"No," I shake my head. "I have to see this through."

He nods somberly.

"Are you going to be able to watch him be executed if it comes to that?"

"I don't know," I honestly reply. "We'll have to find out, I guess."

"Okay. We probably shouldn't bring the kids though."

"That's fairly obvious," I sigh. "I think my mom has the afternoon off."

"That's good. I'm sure she'd love to watch them."

"She will," I assure him. "Peeta, promise me you won't leave my side today. Promise me you'll hold my hand the whole time."

"Of course," he quietly promises.

Peeta goes to the cafeteria and brings us back lunch, and we eat together holding our children. I was about to sit down at the kitchen table when Peeta reminded me what just happened right on top of it, so we sit on the couch instead. He stopped on his way back and made sure my mom was willing to babysit, which of course she was thrilled to do.

Sooner than I'd like, the time for us to leave arrives. We make sure we have everything the babies will need and make our way down the hall to my mom's.

For some reason, I've started to worry about pretty much everything. When we get to my mom's and hand off the twins, I bombard her with information.

"They'll need a bottle in an hour or so. We just changed their diapers, so they should be fine for now. Eve was really tired this morning, so don't be surprised if she falls asleep again. When you change Josh, he likes to get tickled a bit. Be careful when you change Eve, she has a tendency to-"

"Katniss," my mom gently interrupts. "I know what I'm doing. I've taken care of them countless times."

"I just worry about them," I mumble sadly.

"That's called being a mother," my mom smiles softly.

"We have to go honey," Peeta wraps his arm around my waist and kisses the side of my head.

Regretfully we leave, and Peeta remains quiet while he leads us to where we're going.

"They're going to be fine, you know," he ventures gently when we board the elevator.

"You can't know that," I snap, cringing as soon as the words leave my mouth. I'm doing it again, hurting him by taking out my frustration and worry on him.

He sighs and runs his free hand through his hair, both of us refusing to part our linked hands.

He doesn't try speaking to me again for the rest of the elevator ride, and once we step off, he wordlessly tugs me in the right direction, barely glancing at me.

We find the appropriate room and approach the double doors. He goes to grab the handle when I pull on his hand, forcing him to stop. His back is to me, his arm stretched out behind him to hold my hand.

"I'm sorry," I whisper painfully. "I know you were just trying to help."

He doesn't move or speak, but I can see his shoulders slump and his head fall to look at the floor.

"Baby," I quietly say as I move next to him. "Please forgive me. I'm just stressed out. I'm sorry I lashed out at you. I always take things out on you, and that's unfair."

"It's not that," he barely whispers.

That perplexes me. What does that mean?

"Huh?" I ask, stumped.

He exhales loudly and finally turns to face me. The hurt in his eyes is unbearable to say the least. After a moment he looks back down at the floor.

"You don't think I can protect our family," he mumbles, hurt and pain laced in his voice.

My heart is breaking, shattering piece by piece as I realize what I've been doing to my husband. He takes his responsibilities as a husband and father seriously, and I, whether or not I realize it, emasculate him.

"Let's just get this over with," he says as he turns back to the door.

"Wait," I plead quietly. "I – I – I don't really know how to say this. I've been a horrible wife, Peeta. I don't let you be the husband and father you so desperately want to be. I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you, but I see now that I have, and I couldn't feel worse or more guilty."

"Whatever," he mutters.

I've done more damage than I thought.

"Hey," I say firmly, turning his face to look at me, then cradling his cheek gently. "I'm going to try harder baby. I promise. Please give me another chance. I'll do anything."

"Anything?" He asks, his lips quirking upwards a tiny bit.

"Anything," I confirm with a nod.

"I'm making this out to be worse than it really is," he says. "I know you don't do it intentionally, but it hurts nonetheless. I should have brought it up a long time ago, but I was scared to."

"You should never be afraid to talk to me," I reply. "I'll always be right here to listen."

"Thank you," he gives me a short kiss on the lips. I want more, but we're really pressed for time.

"I guess we have to go in now," I dejectedly observe, glancing at my wristwatch.

He nods and opens the door, holding it for me like a gentleman. As I pass him, I quickly lean up and whisper in his ear.

"Tonight I'm your plaything. Anything you want to do, I'll be more than happy to accommodate. Any fantasy you have, I'm going to do my best to make it come true. I love you."

"I love you too," he ekes out and I giggle at the stunned look on his face.

"Let's go big boy," I tug on his hand. "The quicker we get done with this the sooner you can get me naked."

A couple people's heads snap to look at us, and I realize I didn't say that in a whisper. Uh oh.

I look around the room and it's a fairly normal conference room set up to look like a courtroom. There are chairs set up for a gallery, and a table I assume is where Francis will be seated. At the front of the room President Coin sits, flanked by two high-ranking generals. I assume they're the Tribunal.

We're directed to sit in the front row, and we take our seats, still tightly holding hands. Peeta slowly rubs circles on my skin with his thumb. He knows how much it calms me.

"Now that everyone's here, we can begin," Coin announces. "Please bring in the convict."

The double doors we entered through swing open, and Francis appears with two heavily armored soldiers on either side of him. He's wearing a bright orange jumpsuit that reminds me of what Gale wore during his trial. His shackles clang as he shuffles towards the front.

He doesn't look anyone in the eye, instead concentrating on the floor.

Once he's seated, the room quiets down and awaits the start of the proceedings.

"Very well," Coin begins. "Mr. Burton, you have been convicted of every charge put forward by the District. You pled not-guilty, and you have been found guilty. Is there anything you wish to say to the court before you're sentenced?"

"Yes, your honor," Francis replies in a tiny, almost frightened voice. He stands up.

"I don't regret a lot of my actions," he explains. "I had a job to do, and I did it. My only regret is losing the girl that I love." He glances back towards me and a shudder runs through my body.

He sits back down.

"Present today is Mr. and Mrs. Mellark, who have been affected more than anyone by Mr. Burton's treachery. Do either of you wish to say something at this point?"

Peeta doesn't appear to want to, but I surprise myself by standing up. Peeta extends his arm so our hands can remain clutched together tightly.

"I've know Francis for many years. We used to live next door to each other in District 12 growing up. The man seated in front of me is not Francis Burton. Rather, he's a shell of the boy I once knew. Corrupted by Snow and the Capitol. I'd almost feel sorry for him if I could forget about everything he's done to my husband and myself. He tried to murder my husband in cold blood, believing it would prove his 'love' to me. Allow me to clear some things up. By saying you 'lost' me Francis, you're implying that at one point you had me. Sorry to burst your delusional bubble, but my heart has always belonged to one man, and one man only. That man is certainly not you. Whatever punishment the Tribunal sees fit to sentence you to, you deserve every bit of it."

I sit back down and instantly melt into Peeta. He wraps his arms around me and I bury my face in his shirt. I take a couple moments to gather my faculties before I sit back up.

"If there are no objections at this time, I will read the sentence decided upon," Coin says as she searches the room, seeing if anyone wishes to voice their opinion. When it's obvious nobody wants to, she confers quickly with the other two members of the Tribunal.

She flips through some papers in front of her and finds what she's looking for, holding it in front of her so she can read it off.

"Francis Burton, please rise," she instructs. He stands up. "Francis Burton, formerly of District 12, now a resident of the Capitol, you have been found guilty of the heinous crimes you have been charged with. They include attempted murder, espionage, treason, conspiracy, inciting violence, illegally possessing and firing a firearm, and a myriad of other lesser offenses. We've taken into account all the facts of this case and weighed our decision carefully. You are hereby sentenced to death."

All the air rushes out of the room and nobody moves an inch or makes a sound. I can't say I'm surprised. He committed treason. That alone warrants the death penalty.

"When this proceeding is finished, you will be escorted down the hall to have your sentence swiftly carried out. You will be executed in the traditional manner of hanging by your neck until you no longer breathe."

I see Francis trembling, and he collapses back into his seat. I have to remind myself of his actions, the fact he brought this all on himself. I'm now convinced he was truly delusional, believing the propaganda of the Capitol, thinking he was a master spy who could seduce me into running away with him.

"May god have mercy on your soul," Coin evenly says. "Goodbye, Mr. Burton."

She bangs the gavel down, signaling the end of the proceeding. The soldiers who accompanied Francis yank him to his feet and lead him back down the center aisle to the double doors.

As I'm turned watching him, I don't realize Coin is standing right behind me until she gruffly coughs to get my attention. Peeta and I whip around at the same time and seek each other's hands out again.

"I assume you agree with our decision?" She asks.

"Yes, Madame President," I answer. Honestly, right now, I'm not in the mood to hate her. It's too exhausting.

"You are welcome to view the execution," she explains. "Perhaps it will give you some semblance of closure."

I can't decide whether or not I want to watch him die. On one hand, he used to be my friend and I would have a hard time watching it. On the other hand, he had no qualms about trying to murder my husband or attempting to lure me away from him.

"What do you think?" I turn to Peeta.

"It's totally up to you," he answers.

"Ugh," I sigh. "I knew that's what you would say."

"If you're going to join us, we need to leave right now," Coin impatiently adds.

"Let me go down there and see. I'll decide then," I tell her.

"Very well," she nods, leading us out of the room. We take a right down the hallway and after maybe a minute or so of walking, we arrive.

We're ushered into a viewing room where various other officials are already seated. There's a large window on one of the walls, and when I look through it I can see the gallows. I see whom I assume to be the executioner, their face shrouded, tying a noose.

"I don't think I can do this," I say to Peeta, freaking out a little bit.

"Okay, let's go," he immediately replies gently.

We turn back to the door, but right as we do, I see out of the corner of my eye Francis being led into the execution chamber. I freeze, unable to move.

Peeta stops too, and wraps his arms around me from behind to give me that sense of safety I crave from him.

"Are you sure?" He whispers into my ear.

"No, but for some reason I can't look away."

Francis is led up the steps to the platform. Once again, his sentence is read out loud to him. There's a doctor on hand, I assume to confirm his death.

He's moved to the middle of the wooden gallows as the executioner readies himself.

"Do you have any last words?" He asks Francis.

Francis spits in his face.

"You're going to lose this stupid rebellion. You'll see. Snow will make you all pay for this."

The executioner moves around behind him. He pulls a black shroud over Francis' head, then affixes the noose around his neck and tightens it.

His hand on the lever, the executioner looks to Coin for the go-ahead.

As soon as he begins pulling it, Francis yells out.

"Long live-"

His voice is cut off by the floor beneath him vanishing. As he begins to fall, I can't watch anymore. I quickly turn and press my face into Peeta's chest. He just wraps me up tighter. I know he's still watching, for me.

I wait ten seconds, then quietly ask Peeta a question.

"Is he dead?"

Peeta kisses the crown of my head gently before he answers.

"No."

I don't need to look to know what's happening. The fall didn't break his neck, so now he's slowly suffocating while he helplessly swings in midair.

I have no idea how much time expires, but eventually Peeta informs me that he's succumbed, that he's finally dead.

"Shhh," he quietly calms me down. "It's all over now. He can't hurt you anymore."

"Peeta?"

"Yes?"

"I need to be with you and our children right now. Please. Get me out of here," I beg, not caring who hears me in this little room.

Instead of taking my hand to lead me out, I feel Peeta swiftly pick me up off the ground into his arms.

"No arguments," he preempts.

I lay my head on his shoulder and link my hands around his neck, softly running my fingers through the hair on the back of his head.

I realize that although it saddens me that it had to come to this, I'm actually a little relieved Francis is gone, out of our lives. I'll mourn the loss of my friend, but I won't give a moment of thought to the despicable man hanging at the end of that swaying rope.

I look up at my husband as he carries me through the halls of the District seemingly effortlessly.

"I hope you haven't forgotten my promise," I give him the best smile I can right now.

"Hmm? What promise?" He asks as we board an elevator.

"About tonight," I remind him gently. "I'm going to be your plaything, remember? I expect your full participation."

"Are you sure you're up for it tonight?" He asks seriously.

"Baby I need it now more than ever," I tell him in the same tone.

"You know I can't say no to you," he grins.

"Good boy," I tease. "Now take me to bed, husband, so you can remind me again who owns my body."

"I thought you wanted to get the kids from your mom's?" He asks, confused.

"I'm sure they're having a great time with their grandma. For right now though, mommy and daddy are going to need every square inch of our quarters."

"Yeah?" He smirks.

"You just wait and see, Mr. Mellark. My plan is for you to fuck me anywhere it's physically possible."

"You, Mrs. Mellark, are the perfect wife."

I giggle as he begins to hurry back.

**A/N: Another lengthy chapter. I just started writing and couldn't stop. Actually, I began this yesterday, and I was intending on writing Francis' entire trial. But then I remember the few chapters I dedicated to Gale's trial in the prequel, and decided to just show the sentencing and execution. **

**I'm enjoying showing how Peeta and Katniss are human, that they make mistakes and fight like any normal couple would. It's fun to write, especially with the awesome way they like to make up. **

**Please, if you haven't already, go check out my other THG active story, 'Top Of The World'. I promise you won't be disappointed. **

**Thanks to EVERYONE for reading and reviewing. Happy hump day. **


	25. Haymitch Drops A Bomb

_**Fair Warning: The beginning of this chapter is an extended, graphic sex scene. You've been notified. **_

The door barely shuts behind us before I pounce on him. He catches me easily as I wrap my legs around him tight. I feel his hands grip my butt, simultaneously arousing and steadying me.

"You weren't joking," he manages between kisses.

"Nope," I trail kisses across his jaw to his delight.

He pulls me closer into him and I grind my hips against his, causing both of us to moan in pleasure.

"I want you so bad right now," he mumbles into my mouth.

I pull my face back a couple inches so I can look into his eyes.

"Take me Peeta," I demand, not even a trace of sarcasm in my voice. "Make me submit to you. Fuck me until I'm _yours_."

I see the change in his look, the transition from arousal to lust, always coated in a healthy dose of our magical love. No matter how wild we get, it's always yet another manifestation of our love for each other.

My words bring both of us to action. I release my legs' grip on him and he sets me down. We go to work on each other's clothes. I almost tear his shirt off while he does the same to mine. I reach down and start undoing his belt and his pants, and I can't help but to feel his growing erection beneath them. I stroke it from the outside and he growls as he forcefully slides my own pants down my legs. I take his boxers with his pants, leaving him naked once he shakes them off his ankles, along with his socks and boots. I'm soon left in just my black lacy bra and panties, which from the look in my husband's eyes, are quite attractive to him.

"Do you like?" I motion to my lingerie. "I don't think I've worn these before."

He nods enthusiastically, still staring at my boobs. I giggle, causing them to jiggle a bit, and his eyes widen.

"Enough gawking," I firmly say after a few seconds.

He snaps out of his daze and we crash into one another, our lips meeting in a frenzy of need. I reach behind myself to unclasp my bra, but he stops me gently.

"No," he shakes his head slightly. "Leave them on for now."

I nod and feel his one of his hands grope me over the fabric, the other quickly sliding under my panties and finding my wet folds.

"Oh baby," I groan when he slips a couple fingers inside me. My eyes slide shut and I surrender to his touch.

"I want to taste you," I hear him whisper in my ear breathily. "I want to bury my tongue inside you."

I'm unable to speak, so my pathetic attempt at a nod will have to suffice. He understands and I feel him lift me up with ease. My back falls into the soft surface of the couch and I peek my eyes open. Peeta kneels in front of me. He grasps my hips and forcefully pulls me towards him.

I run my fingers through his hair, then possessively grab some, yanking his face towards my arousal. I see the slight smirk on his face before it disappears between my legs.

Quickly, he uses a couple fingers to pull my panties to one side, giving him access. The next thing I feel is his tongue tracing every inch of the outside of my pussy, flicking my clit when he goes past. He's teasing me, I realize, but it feels far too amazing for me to protest.

When his tongue finally slips inside me, I come to the realization it's been far too long since he's done this. His hands have ahold of my thighs as I squeeze them on either side of his head, refusing to let him deviate at all from his target. He keeps stoking my fire until it's a raging inferno, consuming me in a build-up of sheer ecstasy.

"Don't stop," I beg in a tiny voice. "Please baby, don't stop."

"Come for me Katniss," he pleads before he darts back into me.

The feeling of his tongue exploring my walls sends me over the cliff. He holds my legs in place while I writhe uncontrollably, his name escaping my lips louder and louder. When he finally brings me back down to earth, he lays a series of soft, loving kisses over the outside of my quivering lips.

"You're the most delicious thing I've ever tasted," he declares with a wide smile.

"I could say the same about you," I whimper, still experiencing aftershocks. "Get up here and kiss me Peeta. Now."

He listens, and soon his lips, still soaked with my juices, cover mine. I cradle his cheek with my left hand, while my right reaches down and finds his rock hard erection. I stroke slowly while we kiss.

"Kat," he mumbles, groaning between smooches.

"I want you inside me," I request not too politely. "I want you inside me right now."

When he makes a move to enter me in our current position, I quickly stop him. He gives me a questioning look, but instead of a verbal answer, I move. I turn my body so I'm laying lengthwise on the couch, then flip over so I'm on my stomach. I turn my head to look at him, telling him with my eyes to get over here.

He's almost giddy as he throws his leg over mine and lines up behind me. Once again, he moves my panties to the side. To help him, I lick the inside of my palm and reach behind, wetting his length to aid in his initial thrusts.

I feel him enter me, slowly at first. My legs aren't spread wide at all, his knees on the outside of them, and as a result, I'm much tighter for him. He continues pushing into me, his hands firmly gripping my butt, until he's finally buried all the way inside me.

"Do it," I coax. "Back up and slam into me."

The good husband he is, he listens. He starts off at an even pace, but begins increasing his speed as I goad him along. He lifts my hips up a bit as he pounds harder and harder.

"Fuck Kat, I'm going to come," he groans eventually.

"It's my turn," I inform him. "It's my turn to taste you."

His thrusts get even more powerful as he edges closer to his release.

"I'm there," he moans.

As he pulls out quickly, I turn as fast as I can and take him in my mouth, using my hand to stroke him at the same time. I look up at him and our eyes lock. His hands tangle in my hair as I work my way up to taking his entire erection in my mouth.

"Ohhhhhhh," he moans loudly as I feel him explode. I don't dare tear my eyes away from him as I slide down his cock, hungry for every drop of him. I massage his sac to make sure he's expelled his whole load.

I clean him with my lips as I move back. He's still staring into my eyes, so to show him, I part my lips a little, revealing his come pooled in my mouth. Then I swallow all of it in one go.

"Holy shit," he mutters.

"Did you like that?" I ask as I lay back down, needing a few minutes of rest.

"Mmmhmm," he nods, his smile growing.

I pull him down to me and he pillows his head on my breasts. I bask in the afterglow of our lovemaking, and revel in his weight on top of me.

"I was right," I whisper.

"Hmm? About what?" He asks.

"How delicious you are," I explain with a smirk.

"Is that so?" He teases gently.

"Don't get all smug," I warn sarcastically. "It just so happens that I greatly enjoy how you taste. Pure coincidence."

He laughs softly, his head vibrating on my chest.

"I guess we're lucky then," he chuckles. "We both love how the other one tastes. It's a good thing we got married."

"You got that right," I giggle softly. "Hey Peeta?"

"Yeah?"

"Next round is whatever you want," I promise him. "Remember, I said _anything_."

He smiles against the lace of my bra.

"What if I told you all I want right now is to make love to you slowly, you on your back, while we stare into each other's eyes?" He quietly asks.

My breath hitches at his sincerity, the obvious love in his tone and request.

"Please," I beg, swallowing hard.

"I wasn't finished," he informs me with a smirk.

"Oh," I raise my brow, surprised. "Please, continue."

"_After _we make love like that, would it be okay if we, um, maybe, uh-" he stutters nervously.

"Peeta," I coo, gently threading my fingers through his hair. "Tell me."

"I want to fuck you in the bathtub, like we used to do at home," he blurts out.

I start getting wet again just thinking about it, how incredible the sex we had in our bathtub at home always was.

"I'd like nothing more than that," I confirm with a whisper.

Needless to say, my mom takes care of the twins for a while longer.

When we do eventually get around to retrieving our children, we're both almost frantic until they're back in our arms. While we both obviously enjoy our time alone together, repeatedly I might add, nothing can compare to the time we spend as a family, just the four of us.

"Thanks mom," I smile down at Eve, who's happily playing with the end of my braid.

"Anytime," she smiles back softly.

"Come on boys, your girls want to go cuddle," I tell Peeta and Josh.

"Hear that buddy?" Peeta whispers to Josh as he follows me down the hall. "We get to go cuddle with the two most beautiful girls in the world. Aren't we lucky?"

I blush, even though he's not even directly talking to me. Just the tone of his voice alone would cause me to turn red.

Back at our place, we sit on our bed, the twins between us. They can sit up on their own now, and it's plainly obvious they'll soon be crawling. We try to help teach them, but it just descends into a fit of giggles.

"Eve, be nice to your brother," I mildly scold when she unceremoniously shoves him out of the way, both of them trying to get to their daddy. She looks back at me when she hears her name, and, seeing the look on my face, turns back around and gently nuzzles her head against her brother's.

"Peeta look at that," I whisper in wonderment. "Have you ever seen anything more adorable?"

He has a huge, proud smile on his face watching his children. Just that smile would make me going through labor again worth it.

"Thank you," he whispers while keeping his eyes fixed on the twins.

"I didn't have them just for you, you know," I smile. He chuckles. "I actually think I love them more than you," I challenge.

"That's just not possible," he shoots back.

"Wanna bet?" I grin.

"How exactly can we decide who wins?" He makes a good point.

I shrug.

"Maybe this is just one of those time where you'll be forced to admit that your wife is right," I declare.

"Fair enough," he sighs happily. "You definitely had the tougher time bringing them to us."

I scoff and snort at the same time, and he laughs at the sound I make.

"And don't you forget it, Mr. Mellark. The next time I get pregnant, I expect that you'll know what you're doing, and I'm going to keep you on a much shorter leash."

He shudders at my words, and I can't tell if that's good or bad.

"You'd really give me another baby?" He asks so softly I strain to hear it.

I look down at our children happily playing between us. Eve has made it over to Peeta and is inspecting his wedding ring, something they both love to do with both our rings. Josh has migrated to me, and I pick him up and cradle him against my chest, feeling our hearts beating in synch.

"I won't give you another baby," I tell him. Predictably, he misunderstands, and his face falls. "I'll give _us _another baby," I clarify. His face lights up with a beaming smile.

"Tease," he accuses.

I stick my tongue out at him childishly.

"That's not making it any better," he says, sarcasm dripping in his voice.

I giggle and lean towards him, giving him a peck on the lips.

Soon, all four of us get drowsy after the long, emotional day we've had. Without it being voiced out loud, we lie down. Peeta carefully picks Eve up and moves her to me as I turn on my side. He immediately spoons into my back, letting me use his left arm as a pillow. His right arm drapes over my waist, and his hand finds our children. We fall asleep, Peeta protecting the three of us.

We're woken far too often by banging on our door, and this is certainly no exception. I wake first, and I have to tread carefully to get out of bed without waking my family up. Peeta whimpers in his sleep but doesn't wake when I remove myself from his arms.

I don't realize until I'm at the door that all I'm wearing is Peeta's t-shirt over my bra and panties. It barely reaches halfway down my thigh. I shrug, not really caring all that much, and swing the door open just enough to peek my head out.

It's Haymitch.

"What do you want?" I gruffly ask, making it obvious he interrupted our sleep.

"Can I come in sweetheart? I need to talk to you and the kid quickly."

I sigh and nod, opening the door wider. He comes in, and when he moves towards the couch, I almost blurt out why he really shouldn't sit on it. I stop myself, remembering that Peeta actually did clean it before we went to get the twins, although I'm sure if Haymitch knew what happened on it mere hours ago, he'd likely get sick.

"Let me go get Peeta," I say once he's seated.

Peeta's not too hard to wake up, once I stick my tongue in his ear that is. I giggle at the sleepy look on his face, and practically drag him off our bed. I glance at the twins, who are both still sound asleep. I debate moving them to their cribs, but decide on just keeping the door to our bedroom open so I can keep a watchful eye on them.

I make Peeta sit in one of the plush armchairs and unceremoniously plop down sideways in his lap.

"Okay, we're both here," I state the obvious.

"You're not going to get dressed?" Haymitch asks, motioning to my bare legs.

I shrug.

"Why should I, when my husband's just going to undress me so soon?"

That shuts him up.

"We need to talk about Scarlet," he begins. We nod for him to continue. "Your report made it to command, sweetheart. She's being brought up on charges, including insubordination and refusal to follow direct orders from a superior officer."

"Do I have to give a statement or something?" I ask, actually finding myself willing to do whatever's needed.

"It's still in the preliminary stages," he explains. "During her initial interrogation, she claimed you exhibited a repeated habit of singling her out and humiliating her because you were jealous of the way your husband looked at her."

That bitch. Does she really think that's going to work?

"Can Beetee get the security cam footage from the training center?" I ask both the men.

"That's genius sweetheart!" Haymitch smirks.

"I did single her out, and I did humiliate her," I admit. "But only because she refused to follow orders, refused to stop trying to seduce Peeta, and refused to recognize my authority."

"Well, we'll have to see what happens, but you're a Colonel while she's a dishonorably discharged washout. I can't imagine anybody believing her over you, especially if we can get footage."

"Let's hope so," Peeta adds. I notice he's remained quiet since we started talking.

"Is that all you needed?" I ask Haymitch.

"One other thing we need to discuss," he holds up his index finger.

"What's that?" I sigh.

"I think I know who the other traitor is," he says quietly.

Peeta and I have identical look of complete shock on our faces, our jaws both hanging open.

"Who?" Peeta manages to ask.

It's Haymitch's turn to sigh, running his hand through his already messy hair.

"It's going to sound crazy, but Beetee and I have pretty much confirmed it," he gives us a disclaimer.

"Just tell us," I demand.

"It's President Coin. The other traitor is Alma Coin."

What? How is that possible? She's the President for crying out loud! Why would she betray her own people?

"How? What?" Peeta asks, confused.

"She wouldn't do that to her own citizens," I defend her for some reason. I may hate her, but I was always sure she was a loyal person.

"Think about it," Haymitch gently prods. "Who are the only people affected by the information the spies passed to the Capitol?"

Silence falls over the room while Peeta and I come to the sickening conclusion Haymitch speaks of.

"The Victors," I whisper painfully.

"Exactly," Haymitch nods knowingly.

"Why would she want us dead?" Peeta asks, almost panicking.

"Who knows? Maybe she doesn't like how popular we are with not only the people of 13, but the rest of the country. Maybe she thinks she can use our deaths as a sort of martyrdom to energize the rebellion. Maybe she just doesn't like us. Whatever the reason, she's the one who's been betraying us from the very beginning."

"Oh my god," I mutter in disbelief. "Haymitch we have to do something."

"I agree, but we don't act until we're positive we can succeed, and have irrefutable proof of her treason."

"We have to kill her," Peeta sadly observes.

Haymitch nods somberly.

"It's the only way to ensure our survival," he quietly reveals.

"Who else knows?" I want to know.

"Just me and Beetee, and now you two."

"We have to talk to everyone else," I respond. "They have the right to know."

"Obviously," Haymitch says sarcastically. "I told everyone to meet here in about an hour. So maybe you should put on some pants sweetheart."

I narrow my eyes and glare at him.

"Hey Haymitch?" I say sweetly. "That couch you're sitting on? Before you got here, Peeta fucked my brains out on it, multiple times."

His face crumples in sheer horror and I giggle at my revenge. Peeta just shakes his head with a small grin, obviously embarrassed.

"I haven't wanted a drink this bad in months," he mumbles staring at the carpet.

"Sorry," I apologize, but it's not very sincere at all. "You can wait with us for everyone to show up. We just need to feed the twins and move them to their room."

"Can I feed one of them?" Haymitch asks hopefully.

"Of course," I smile. "Come here," I motion him towards me as I get up out of Peeta's lap.

I lead Haymitch into our bedroom where the twins are sleeping on our bed. I almost burst into tears when I see that they're very gently holding hands.

"I've never seen anything more perfect," Haymitch quietly remarks.

"I know," I agree. "Sometimes I wonder how we deserve something so pure, so inherently wonderful."

The look he gives me is one of the most serious he's ever thrown my way. It reminds me of the few seconds before I got on the hovercraft to go to the Arena.

"_Nobody_ deserves this more than you two," he doesn't leave any room for argument. "You and the kid were meant to be parents, whether you like it or not. Isn't it obvious? Maybe you don't realize or see it, but you are a spectacular mother Katniss."

I nod slowly as he quickly envelops me in a hug, and I again silently thank the universe for bringing him into our lives. He may piss me off sometimes, but he's a part of this family forever.

"I think Eve would love it if you gave her her bottle," I whisper as I kneel on the bed.

I gently pick Eve up, kiss her right on the lips, and hand her over to him. He's become a pro at almost everything having to do with them, so I don't need to instruct him at all. He patiently waits while I scoop Josh into my arms, giving him an identical kiss on his tiny, warm lips.

When we emerge from the bedroom, Peeta smiles widely at us. He's gotten two bottles out of the fridge and holds them out to us. Haymitch takes one and sits in an empty armchair, looking at the couch with disdain. I chuckle.

Peeta hands me Josh's bottle, then I gently shove him backwards until he's sitting in the chair again. I resume my position on his lap and turn so he can see his son while I feed him.

I glance over at our mentor, and the soft smile on his face is one that only the twins can elicit.

After Josh is fed and burped, I give him to his father so I can put on some clothes. I slip on some cargo pants and one of my 'MELLARK' uniform tees, matching Peeta's current outfit.

I let Haymitch tuck the kids in while Peeta and I watch from the doorway.

He closes the door gently behind him, and makes sure the baby monitor on the coffee table is turned on.

"Don't worry," I assure him. "They're fine."

He nods but I can still see the concern in his eyes. It makes me chuckle, seeing what I so frequently deal with on his face.

Everyone starts arriving, Finnick and Annie first, of course. The last few people end up having to take seats on the floor, even with Annie and I sitting in our husband's laps. Haymitch refrains from passing on the details of what transpired on the couch earlier.

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," Haymitch begins, sitting with Effie. "The reason I've called this meeting is because Beetee and I are almost positive we know who the remaining traitor in 13 is."

There are audible gasps around the room and everyone intently listens to Haymitch, eager to hear his next words.

"Before he tells you," I interrupt. "Please remember my kids are sleeping in the next room. So please don't be too loud when you find out. Thanks guys."

Everyone nods in understanding and agreement, remaining silent.

Haymitch takes a deep breath, unsure as I am at how the next piece of information will be received.

"The traitor is President Alma Coin," he states evenly.

There are louder gasps, hands shooting to cover mouths. Then, deafening silence as the room processes.

"Now before you tell me that's not possible, hear me out," Haymitch holds his hands up, palms forward. "Beetee and I realized something. The entire time we've been here, the only people directly affected by the traitors are sitting in this room. That led us to believe whoever it is would benefit greatly from our demise. Logically, it makes perfect sense that Coin wants us out of the way. Whether she wants to make us martyrs, use our deaths to inspire, or simply hates our popularity, we don't know. Frankly it doesn't matter all that much. What matters is we have to do something about it."

"We have to kill her," Johanna whispers, coming to the same conclusion we did.

"Yes," Haymitch nods. "She has to die for us to succeed."

"We're going to stage a coup?" Finnick asks.

"Simply put, yes," Beetee answers. "I have studied footage from various high-level meetings and private conversations where the subjects thought they weren't being recorded, and have compiled a list of officers who I believe will gladly join us."

"Can we really pull this off?" Chaff asks the room, looking to everyone individually.

"Yes," I answer firmly. Everyone turns to me. "We are going to succeed, if only because we have to. We can't continue to risk our lives under her rule. Peeta and I were supposed to be safe here, and both of us have been shot. We're going to make sure this works, because we can't afford not to. Our children deserve that."

"She's right," Effie adds quietly. "The only way this will work is if all of us are on board together. When we all work together towards a common goal, nothing can stop us."

"So I'm only going to ask this once," Haymitch continues. "Are you in or are you out?"

He begins by looking to his left, where Chaff sits.

"I'll do whatever it takes," Chaff relays.

Next is Wiress.

"I'm in."

Then Mags. She just nods.

He skips Beetee for obvious reasons, coming to Finnick and Annie.

"Absolutely. We're doing this for Josh and Eve," Annie answers for them. I give her a look of complete gratitude, and both of us begin to quietly cry.

When Haymitch looks to Johanna, she scoffs loudly.

"Like I'd miss a chance to hurt that bitch," she grins sadistically. "Oh I'm in alright."

Finally Haymitch and everyone else look to Peeta and me. I thought it was fairly obvious where we stood, but they still want an answer.

Peeta beats me to it.

"Coin's days are numbered," he says with steel in his voice. "She's tried to take away our friends, people we love."

"We're with you," I add, making eye contact with every single person in the room individually. "Until the end."

"Good," Haymitch exhales after a couple minutes of silent contemplation. "This is going to take a lot of planning and perfect execution. I know we can pull this off, but it's not going to be easy."

"We're not doing it because it's easy," I instantly retort. "We're doing it because it's the right thing to do, because it has to be done. Because we can't walk away with a clean conscience without giving it our all."

This profoundly affects everyone, and Peeta's grip on my hand and hip get tighter as he pulls me closer to him. I rest my head on his shoulder and gently kiss his neck.

"Sweetheart," Haymitch gets my attention, "I think it should be you who kills Coin."

My head snaps to him and I can see he's deadly serious. I turn back to Peeta, and read his eyes. He's telling me he's behind me no matter what I decide, but I know he doesn't want to me to do it. He'd never come out and say it, though, unless I goaded him into it.

I slowly face Haymitch again, firm in my resolve, safe in my decision.

"No," I simply tell him. "I'm not that person anymore. I'm a mother."

"You didn't hesitate to kill those soldiers on the rescue mission," Haymitch points out.

My glare at him intensifies ten-fold.

"That was completely different, and you know it. They were going to kill us, I had no choice."

"Coin wants to kill us," he almost snaps, getting frustrated with my attitude. Right back at ya, buddy.

"I said no," my anger rising. "I'm sorry if you don't like it, but I will not change my mind. My place is right here, with my husband and our children, not out there in the chaos murdering people."

"You don't sound like you're too invested in this," Haymitch grunts.

"Don't you dare question my wife," Peeta suddenly growls. "Our family has sacrificed enough already. You asked, and she said no. This is the last time we're going to say it."

Peeta defending me like this always makes me love him a million times more, and because of what we've already spent most of our day doing, I feel myself quickly becoming aroused by my husband's words. I try to control it aware we're decidedly not alone.

"Fine," Haymitch finally huffs his acceptance. "Any volunteers?"

As he looks around the room, a pang of guilt rises in my chest. Because I refuse to do it, one of my friends, somebody I love, will be forced to face Coin and kill her. Peeta senses this quickly and whispers in my ear.

"You made the right choice. Everyone knows that, nobody can ever blame you for protecting our family."

"I'll do it," I hear the silence break.

And just like that, Johanna Mason has volunteered to murder the President of District 13.

"Jo," I sigh sadly, "you don't have to do this."

She turns to me almost angrily.

"Shut up brainless. You know as well as I do that it must be done. It can't be you or him, and we all know that. It's okay, Katniss. I want to do this for us."

I realize how serious she is when she calls me by my first name. I find myself almost throwing myself towards her, wrapping her in an emotional, tight hug. To my utter surprise, I feel her arms around me, holding on just as fiercely.

"Thank you," I whisper.

"You deserve peace," is her gentle response.

Once I'm seated back in Peeta's lap, Haymitch wraps the meeting up.

"Well I guess that's all for right now. We'll begin planning right away. Why don't we plan on meeting here every night at the same time? If anyone becomes suspicious, tell them we're having game nights, or watching a movie, or playing with the Mellark babies. I know all of you can come up with a sufficient lie," he smirks.

Everyone agrees readily to the plan. As they start to leave, everyone individually comes to Peeta and me and vehemently tell us how proud they are, how much they admire our courage and all-consuming parental love. We reply that they're the brave ones, and we agree to disagree.

Finally, we're alone again, and neither of us even thinks about moving just yet.

"I've never been more proud of you," Peeta says suddenly.

"I'm a coward," I protest.

"Don't you ever say that," he quickly demands. "You are the bravest person I know. Don't lie to me, you would gladly kill Coin if you thought it was the right thing for us, correct?"

"Yeah," I admit quietly.

"But you didn't even have to think about it. You just knew. You understood that there was no way you could do it, that your responsibilities as a mother outweigh anything and everything else, even something as important as this."

"I was also thinking of my duties as a wife," I add.

"I love you," he declares with a kiss.

"I love you too," I give him a kiss as well.

"Does your offer from earlier still stand?" He asks giddily.

"Which one is that?" I bite my lip, trying to drive him wild.

"Fulfilling my fantasies," he answers sheepishly, almost shyly.

"That's a standing offer baby," I explain.

"Really?"

"Yup," I kiss him across his jaw softly. "What's your fantasy tonight?"

"Never mind," he backtracks, "it's dumb."

"Hey," I take his face in my hands. "Tell me. I want to do it, whatever it is."

He stares into my eyes for a few seconds then reluctantly nods.

"I want us to make love like the first time," he whispers. "Like we did the night before we got married."

His words send a shiver down my spine as my mind takes me back to that night. How we gave each other our virginities. How I was on my back under him, and for the first time, I felt him inside me. The ecstasy we both experienced repeatedly. The cuddling afterwards, melting into one another in a mess of sweat, tangled limbs, and ripped sheets.

"I told you it was stupid," he sadly mumbles when I'm silent.

"It is _not _stupid," I tell him with conviction.

I stand up, tugging on his hand, wanting him to get up with me.

"Let's go," I gently coax.

I look him dead in the eye then speak lowly, but with absolute certainty.

"I want you to take my virginity again."

**A/N: Yet another long chapter. I was going to end it originally with Haymitch's big reveal, but when I stopped, even I hated the cliffhanger. So, I decided to write about the beginning of the idea for the coup-d'etat. **

**A lot of you guessed the traitor was Coin, and it was hard for me to keep my mouth shut for this long. Truthfully, I had been planning on her being treasonous since she was introduced in 'It Was A Lie'. I never liked her character, not even a little bit, so I'm going to like writing about her downfall. **

**Do you guys think the Victors will succeed? Will there be support for them from other officers and citizens? Does Coin have enough of a stranglehold on the District to squash any resistance? Will this affect the war effort? We'll find out, I guess. So stay tuned!**

**Thanks as always for reading and reviewing!**

**I'm not sure if I'll get around to the next chapter of 'Top Of The World' today or not. If I do, it'll be posted sometime in the evening. **


	26. Finding Proof

_**Fair Warning: This chapter contains smut, a graphic Everlark sex scene. You've been notified. **_

The only thing I can think about is whether or not she's the one who's betrayed us.

We've been sitting here, in command, for two hours now. Coin is droning on and on about military tactics, taking an inordinate amount of time to assess the situation in each District individually. I'm not really sure why Peeta and I are here. No other Victors are here except Haymitch and Beetee. It's not like I have any real suggestions, or really any clue about half of what they're talking about.

As the meeting drags on, my hate for Coin multiplies by the minute. I now truly believe she's capable of the things we know the traitor to have done. It's amazing that she can sit at the head of this table and act like nothing's wrong, like her only concern is District 13 and the safety of its citizens, when she has actively tried to murder me and the people I love.

After a while I'm simply unable to look at her anymore, fearful that if I do, I'll climb across this table and strangle her to death. I'm actually relieved Peeta and I didn't wear our side arms. Instead, we gave them to Finnick and Annie, who are watching the twins at our place. We're not taking any chances with their safety anymore. Nothing is more important than our children. Nothing.

I'm fiddling with the hem of my skirt with one hand, my other firmly locked with Peeta's, as it has been since we stepped in this room.

"Mrs. Mellark?" I hear Coin calling for me but it doesn't really register. "Mrs. Mellark are you paying attention to the briefing?"

"Kat," Peeta whispers, gently squeezing my hand.

My head snaps to look at him and his eyes show concern. He's aware of why I'm not looking at her. He's struggling with the same hatred, the same blinding rage I'm trying to contain.

"I'm listening," I answer, still looking only at my husband.

"Really? What was the last thing I was talking about?" She challenges.

I roll my eyes. I may not have been looking at her, or even cared about what was being said, but I'm not an idiot.

"The probability of District 6 being open to invasion," I answer smugly. Finally, I turn to look at Coin, and I can see her hatred for me burning in her eyes, even though she's trying to hide it. "Which, by the way, you wouldn't have to worry about if you just evacuated the population like my husband and I suggested weeks ago."

"Evacuation is not practical," she sneers.

"Why, because it's more mouths to feed?" I shoot back. "I thought we were fighting for everyone in this country, not just the people in this District. It seems like all you and your generals give a shit about is yourselves."

"You will not speak to me like that Mrs. Mellark. I am your President!"

"No you're not," I shake my head. "I didn't vote for you. I'm not a citizen of District 13. I may be a member of this army, but I am, and always will be, a citizen of District 12. You'd do well to remember that."

She seethes, and I refuse to back down. Peeta is gripping my hand tight. I know he'll back me up no matter what, but I also know I'm getting a talking-to later from my husband.

"I think we're all a little on edge lately," Haymitch tries to cool the room down. He gives me a short glare and I understand. I nod quickly. "You can't blame Mrs. Mellark for being passionate about her home, now can you? Granted, she could've approached it differently, but she wouldn't be Katniss Mellark if she wasn't so incredibly fiery."

"He's right about that," Peeta whispers in my ear softly. It sends a shiver down my spine.

"Fine," Coin huffs. "You're welcome to leave, Mrs. Mellark, if you wish. The rest of this briefing does not pertain to you or your husband."

"Finally," I mutter as I quickly stand up, tugging Peeta with me. We don't look behind us as we exit the room.

Peeta waits until we're on the elevator before he's about to speak. I beat him to it.

"I know what you're going to say," I tell him quietly. "I'm sorry. I just snapped. I sat there listening to her, and I just got so angry. If it's true, she's tried to kill us, Peeta, and she think she's going to get away with it."

Peeta sighs and wraps me up in his arms, kissing the top of my head.

"Actually, that's not what I was going to say," he whispers. I look up to him curiously. "I was going to tell you how sexy you were back there."

"Really?" I smile.

"Oh yeah," he smiles back. "I mean, you already had me going when you put on that skirt this morning. But then, you got all angry. You know what that does to me Kat."

"You like this skirt, huh?" I tease him a bit, backing up a few feet and spinning for him, biting my lip innocently while I do.

Before he can answer, the elevator dings and the doors slide open. Peeta almost violently grabs my hand and pulls me out into the hallway. He moves with determination, glancing at every door, looking for something specific. Finally, he looks around us, making sure the hallways is still empty, and opens a door, ushering me inside.

I knew what he was doing the second he grasped my hand, and by the time he's closed the door, I'm on fire. He clicks the lock, engaging it, and turns to me. I barrel into him, my hands shooting to his hair as his grip my butt when our lips crash together in a frenzy.

After a few moments of making out, both of us are more than ready to christen whatever random conference room we're in. I reach down and start fumbling with his belt buckle. He almost rips the buttons off my blouse trying to get to my bra. I get his pants undone and shove them down, revealing how hard he is already. He gets my blouse open, and, unwilling to wait any longer, just pulls my bra down to attach his lips to my breasts.

"I want you so much right now," I whimper. "Take me however you want baby. My body is yours to fuck in any way you can think up. Just, please, please baby, stop teasing me and fuck me."

He looks up at me, and sees how utterly serious I am, how much I truly want and need him at this moment. It's more than lust – it's me needing the love of my husband, the reassurance he gives me when he shows me yet another way his love for me is manifested. It doesn't matter if we're making love slowly and tenderly, or fucking hard and fast against the wall, I know exactly the genesis of every single one of our experiences. They are born out of the fierce, consuming, undying, magnetic love we share.

His eyes show me he understands, and my excitement grows as I anticipate what's next.

Quickly, he spins me around. He moves us forward a few feet until I'm facing the edge of the large conference table. I know what he's getting at, so I help him by bending over it. I look behind me back up at him.

"This is exactly what I was talking about," I smirk seductively. He shakes his head with that disbelieving grin.

There's something about him being in complete control that drives both of us wild. I know that our marriage is unique. Peeta has always recognized that I'm an independent person, that I'm strong and I prefer to be in charge. In a lot of areas of our relationship, he gladly relinquishes control to me. That includes, a lot of the time, when we have sex. But this is quickly becoming my preferred method of our impromptu encounters. I know, at first, he was nervous when I completely surrendered to him. After a while, he understood that I was doing it for him, that I loved it just as much, wanted it probably even more than he did.

It's taken some time, but he has come to embrace every opportunity I give him, and each and every time, I find myself more aroused than I ever thought possible.

He takes his place behind me and sheds his t-shirt. I lick my palm and reach back, preparing his cock for entry. He groans when he feels my hand wrap around it.

As soon as I'm finished wetting him, he slides his hands under my skirt on either side of my hips and pulls my panties down almost violently. He doesn't even bother pulling them past my thighs, and I don't blame him at all. The next thing I feel is him enter me, pushing his entirety into me in one swift move.

"Oh fuck," I moan loudly, gripping the end of the table as he begins thrusting powerfully.

He grips my hips to help him slam into me harder, and I egg him on. It doesn't take long at all for me to explode with a devastating orgasm.

"Baby I'm coming," I tell him breathily, "I'm coming so fucking hard."

"I can feel it around me inside of you," he says in awe. "Fuck Kat you feel so good."

He snakes one of his hands under me and grabs my breast possessively, tweaking my nipple as he does. I rest my forehead on the tabletop in pure pleasure, and I'm pretty sure every time he pounds into me we're pushing the table a few inches. It's that powerful.

Soon, he builds up to his own release, and I'm not surprised to feel another orgasm beginning in my belly.

"Keep fucking me hard baby," I beg, "and we'll come together."

"Oh god yes," he mumbles. I giggle.

"Come in my pussy," I demand when I feel him about to explode. "Fill me up with your warm come Peeta. I need it. I need _you_."

His grip on my hips tightens as he groans out three final, incredibly hard thrusts.

"Yes!" I almost scream as I feel us both release at the same time, the feeling of his come inside me multiplying my ecstasy.

"Ohhhh shit baby," he moans, sliding in a few more times to make sure we both finish our orgasms strong.

He collapses on top of me, exhausted. I reach for his neck, pulling his head down to me, and find his lips.

"I need to wear this skirt more often," I smirk.

He chuckles as he stands back up, and we both being to redress.

"You're going to be the death of me Mrs. Mellark," he grins, buttoning my blouse back up for me. "But what a way to go."

I giggle and he marvels at how my boobs move with it before he regrettably covers them back up.

I reach down and find my panties halfway down my thighs, and pull them back up under my skirt. He pulls his pants up and buckles his belt.

"I hope we never have to go to a meeting in this room," he remarks, looking around as we head for the door.

"Why?" I ask.

"Because I'll just remember how amazing that sex was, and I know I'll probably end up bending you over this table again, no matter what's going on."

I laugh and kiss him.

"Next time I won't wear any panties," I whisper against his lips. "Easier for both of us."

He shudders as I unlock the door, and I chuckle at the dazed look on his face.

We're both in much better moods as we finish the walk back to our place. We find Finnick and Annie napping on our bed, the twins in their cribs also asleep.

"When was the last time we washed the sheets?" Peeta jokes quietly when we see where the O'Dairs are.

"If they didn't know what goes on there, they're dumber than we thought," I joke back. He buries his face in my shoulder to muffle his laughter.

We decide to let them sleep, considering we'd been gone far longer than we'd anticipated. We're acutely aware at how exhausting the twins can be when they want to.

We go into the twin's bedroom, and Peeta sits in the rocking chair as I take my place in his lap. We silently listen to our children's soft breathing, calming us down like nothing else can.

About twenty minutes later, Finnick and Annie appear in the doorway, rubbing sleepiness from their eyes.

"How were they?" I ask softly.

"Perfect," Annie smiles. "They tired us out though. I don't know how you guys do this every day."

Peeta and I laugh quietly, and they shake their heads grinning.

"When they're your own kids, it's different," Peeta explains. "Every day is a gift, a miracle."

"Every day with them is the best day of our lives," I continue. "I truly hope you get to experience it one day soon. There's nothing quite like it. I almost couldn't believe how much we loved them the second they were born, it was so consuming, it dominated both of us."

"See Finnick?" Annie gently points out. "That's why I want kids with you."

"I know," he nods slowly. "I can't wait for us to be parents Annie. I see how what it's done to Katniss and Peeta. They're different than they were before the twins."

"How are we different?" I ask, trying to not sound slightly offended.

"It's not a bad thing at all," Finnick smiles. "Both of you are just better people. Being parents has changed you. I mean, Katniss, you act like everyone's mom now. It's awesome. Peeta's even more gentle and loving than before, if that's at all possible."

"I do not act like everyone's mom!" I protest.

"Yes you do," Annie grins. "Just the other day, you wiped some food off Grayson's face, then scolded him for staining his shirt, and ordered him to bring it to you later so you could wash it. He was terrified. It was so cute."

"Did I really?" I ask all three of them. I guess I don't even realize it.

"Yeah," Peeta kisses my cheek. "It's like I tell you honey, you're the best mom in the world. Sorry Annie, but it's the truth," he grins wide.

"I'll give that to you for now," Annie grins back at us. "But we'll see once I have kids of my own, Mellark."

"Bring it on O'Dair," I say indignantly. We all laugh. I'm amazed the twins haven't woken up yet. "Just remember, by the time you have your first, we'll probably be well on our way to our third." Peeta beams when I say that, and I can't help the radiant smile on my own face.

"You guys want to get some dinner?" Peeta asks when we calm down.

"Sure," Finnick nods. "We'll just wait while you get the kids ready."

"Annie, want to help me?" I ask, knowing how much she loves to 'practice'. Her eyes light up and she looks to Finnick for permission, which really isn't necessary. He immediately nods.

"Thank you Katniss!" She's literally shaking with excitement. She just spent hours babysitting, and she gets this ecstatic when I ask her to help me with them again. She might just give me a run for my money, I smile.

Peeta happily lets Annie take his place, and he and Finnick go to wait in the living room. Annie starts to change Josh while I scoop up my daughter in my arms.

"Hey beautiful," I coo once she opens her big blue eyes, smiling when she recognizes me. "I heard you were good for your aunt and uncle. That's my girl." I reward her with a series of kisses, the last right on her tiny lips. She giggles and smiles. "You have your daddy's eyes," I sigh as I put her down to change her. "When you get older, you're probably going to use those against me, just like your father." I hear Annie chuckle behind me, also whispering to Josh. "But unfortunately, we think you got most of my personality," I explain as I clean her bottom. She silently allows me to do what I need, something she never does for Peeta. "You're going to be a handful Eve. But never doubt that your daddy and I love you and your brother more than anything. Okay?" I finish and pick her up, cradling her in her favorite spot on my shoulder. It's like the hollow spot on my collarbone where she always rests her chin was made especially for my baby. I let her play with the end of my braid as we head out to the living room.

"There's my beautiful girls," Peeta smiles when he sees us. I roll my eyes as I lean down to kiss him.

"Kiss your daughter," I lightly scold, turning so he has access.

"Why can't you be this good for me baby girl?" Peeta jokes as he gently kisses her on the lips. It almost makes me jealous, how much he obviously loves her, how adoringly he kisses her. I know that's completely and utterly ridiculous and irrational, but I can't help how I feel. His lips are mine. I own them.

We head out a couple minutes later, forgoing the stroller as Annie and I refuse to relinquish the babies from our arms.

Peeta makes me a plate and sits next to me. All of our friends trickle in and each of them in turn give both the twins kisses on their heads. The twins, to their credit, recognize each and every one of their aunts and uncles, and obviously bask in the attention.

"So how was the meeting with Coin?" Johanna asks.

I involuntarily growl, and everyone laughs.

"You can see how Kat felt about it," Peeta jokes. "It was long and pretty pointless. We really didn't have to be there."

"You don't think she knows, do you?" Wiress quietly asks.

"No, she just hates me," I answer.

We change subjects, aware we should wait until we're in private to discuss that.

Soon we head back to our place, everyone following us in. The twins are still wide awake, so Peeta and I happily hold them as we sit together.

"Well there's not much to report tonight," Haymitch begins. "Nothing has really changed since last night. We need proof, that's our main priority right now. Once we find our proof, we can start planning what to do."

It's silent as everyone contemplates how we can possibly prove the President is actually a traitor.

"How did Francis get that gun? Do we know how he got his hands on it?" I suddenly ask the room.

"He didn't tell us," Haymitch replies. "Obviously he didn't tell you either."

"Beetee, can you pull up the security cam footage from his quarters?" I look to our resident tech expert.

"Of course," he instantly answers as he pulls out a laptop. He types furiously as we wait patiently. He stands up and moves next to me so I can see the screen. "What are we looking for?"

"We'll know it when we see it," I say, watching carefully.

We find what we're looking for when, the night before our anniversary, a hooded figure silently enters his room and places the gun on his desk.

"Freeze it," I tell Beetee. "Can you zoom in on the gun?" He nods and does it. "Oh my god," I mutter.

We have our proof.

Right in front of the gun, there's a small note that Beetee has enhanced. He turns the screen around to show everyone. Predictably, jaws drop and gasps are heard as we all process the new information.

The note reads:

_Soldier Burton,_

_I know you have been sent here by Snow. _

_I am here to help you in any way. _

_Tomorrow there will be a reception for the Mellarks. _

_That's your chance to prove your love for Katniss. _

_Take this gun and shoot Peeta Mellark. _

_You'll soon be back in the Capitol with the girl you love. _

_I promise. _

_-Alma_

**A/N: DUN DUN DUN. They have irrefutable proof of her treason. How will they proceed? What will they have to do to successfully remove her from power? Will the District believe them, or back their President? **

**I doubt I'll get around to writing the next chapter of 'Top Of The World' tonight. If I do, it won't be posted until very late. **

**I'm trying to get as much family fluff in right now as possible, because once they start the coup, it's going to get dark again. **

**Thanks as always for reading and reviewing! PLEASE take a moment to tell me if you liked the chapter! Thanks a bunch!**

**Until next time…..**


	27. Katniss Nominates A Candidate

_**Fair Warning: The end of this chapter consists of an extended, fairly hot and smutty graphic sex scene. It's one of my best if I may be so bold. You've been notified. **_

"Anyone could have written that note," Haymitch points out.

"It is handwritten," Peeta notices, giving me an idea.

"Peeta come with me real quick," I demand, standing up. He doesn't question, just stands up too. We hand the twins off to Finnick and Annie as we walk by to our bedroom. Everyone stays silent, curious as to where we're suddenly going.

I walk to our closet and open it up. Peeta realizes what I'm doing.

"You're so smart," he comments, giving me a kiss on the cheek.

We kneel down in front of the safe Beetee made for us. Together, we use our thumbprints to open it up. I reach in and grab the contract we made with 13's leaders before the rebellion started.

We walk back into the living room and I dramatically toss the thick contract onto the coffee table.

"She signed that," I point to it. "Beetee, compare the signatures."

Beetee's face lights up, matching everyone else's, and he quickly snatches the contract up. Everyone waits with baited breath as he scans her signature in, and uses one of his programs to compare.

"Okay," he nods after a few minutes.

"Well?" I prompt.

"It's a match," he reveals. "Almost one hundred percent."

Stunned silence follows.

"Where's the gun?" I ask anyone who might know. "We need it as evidence."

"I should shoot Coin with it," Johanna snorts. "That would be ironic."

"We have to get it first," I nod.

"Hold on," Beetee furiously types. "It's in an evidence locker on Level C13. There's a round-the-clock guard though."

I stand back up and quickly walk back into our bedroom. I shut the door behind me and, as fast as I can, slide my skirt off and put on my cargo pants. I grab Peeta's and my holsters and side arms that we'd left for Finnick and Annie. I open my nightstand drawer and grab my extra pistol. I strap on my holster.

I walk back into the living room and everyone's eyes widen when they realize what I'm planning. I toss Peeta his holster and hand the extra pistol to Johanna.

"Let's go," I simply state.

"Is that really the best idea?" Haymitch protests.

I turn and glare at him. I grab my pistol, check the magazine, rack the slide and return it to my thigh.

"Yes," I say firmly. "We're going to get that gun. Right now."

"If that guard realizes what you're doing Coin will find out," Effie tells us gently.

"We'll just have to make sure he doesn't then," Peeta says as he stands up and straps his holster on, obviously backing me up.

"You with us Jo?" I ask. She's sitting there staring at the pistol, a stunned look on her face. I wonder why. I remember what she was like in the Arena when they rescued the Tributes. Maybe I just surprised her.

She snaps out of it and looks up at me.

"Let's do this brainless, cinnamon buns," she says as she stands up, stuffing the gun in the back of her pants.

I roll my eyes at her use of our nicknames, but we have bigger problems right now.

"Finnick, Annie, I don't need to tell you anything, do I?" I ask, referring obviously to their care of my children.

"No," Annie shakes her head. Finnick nods his agreement. "We'll take them into the bedroom until you get back. We won't open the door for anyone but you and Peeta. No offense guys."

Everyone tells them they understand completely and I feel a little better about leaving, even if there's a whole bunch of Victors standing between anyone and my kids. This is getting real, fast.

"Beetee, can you track us using the cameras?" I ask. He nods, reaches into his backpack, takes out a small case, and holds it out to us. I see they're small earpieces. The three of us take them and put them in our ears. "Can you hear me?" Beetee tests.

"In stereo," I nod.

"Good luck," he quietly tells us.

I take one last look around the room, focusing on my children. I can't leave without kissing them one more time. I dart over to where Finnick and Annie are standing.

"Mommy loves you so much," I whisper as Annie holds Josh up a little. "Mommy and daddy will be back soon baby boy. I promise." I kiss him once on his forehead and then on his lips. I move on to Eve before I start crying. I notice Peeta's moved next to me, and silently kisses Josh after me.

"Oh baby girl," I whisper when Eve sees me. "Daddy and mommy love you so, so much. I promise we won't be gone long, and when we get back, we'll snuggle with just the four of us. You'd like that, wouldn't you?" I tickle her a little and repeat my kisses, one on the forehead and one on the lips. I wait while Peeta kisses her silently.

As I walk to the door, I know I can't look over my shoulder at them, or else I'll pass off my gun to someone else and stay.

We hear a chorus of good lucks as Peeta opens the door, holding it for Jo and me.

I nod and exit.

Beetee directs us with a gentle voice to the correct elevator, then tells us which button to push. He tells us that while we've been walking, he's continued searching through the security cam footage, and found Coin leaving Francis' room. He says it's only one frame, but if he can enhance it enough, we'll be able to definitively ID her.

We arrive at the right level, and step off the elevator.

"Take a right," Beetee instructs. Peeta takes the lead, unwilling to let his wife or his friend be directly in the path of any bullets. I let him reluctantly, remembering our talk yesterday about how I make him feel like I don't believe he can protect us.

"Okay. Around the next corner the guard is sitting in a chair. The door is right next to him. The code is 7-7-4-5. My suggestion is to just act like you belong there."

"Let me do the talking," I whisper. Peeta and Jo nod their agreement, and move aside. I peek around the corner and see the guard, noticing he's only a private first class. That'll help.

I walk with purpose and stand right in front of him. He raises his head from the book he's reading, and when he sees me, shoots to his feet. He stand at attention and crisply salutes. I return it.

"At ease, private," I instruct.

"How can I help you Colonel Mellark?" He asks. "Colonel, Colonel," he greets Jo and Peeta. I stifle a laugh at the ridiculousness of the three colonels.

"I need to access this evidence room," I explain.

"I wasn't notified of that," he glances at what I assume is his orders.

"That's because we just decided to," I quickly add sincerely. "It's for the trial of Scarlet Johnston."

His eyes widen in recognition. Scarlet's plight has flown around the District, gossip spreading it like wildfire.

"Private, you understand that a Colonel is giving you a direct order?" Johanna asks harshly when he doesn't make a move either way.

"What's your name Private?" Peeta asks, and they're terrifying him into compliance.

"Sanderson, sir," he replies. "Do you have the code? I don't, and I can't allow you inside unless you've been given it."

"Of course I have the code," I give him a small smile to offset his fear. "You are doing an excellent job here, Private Sanderson. I'll be sure to talk to your CO, tell them how you helped us."

"Thank you ma'am," he says in awe, moving to the side so I can access the door.

I type in the numbers and the door clicks open, the keypad lighting up green. I don't know how Beetee got the right code, but it doesn't really matter. Without me having to even ask, Johanna stays outside in the hall as Peeta and I go in.

Once we close the door behind us, we flip on the light and go to work.

"Where, Beetee?" I ask, glancing around at the numerous labeled boxes.

"Box F-67.8," he relays. "Second row from the left, middle shelf."

Peeta makes it there first and finds the box in short order. He opens the top and sure enough, the gun that tried to kill him is sitting inside.

He quickly grabs it, stuffs it in the back of his pants after he makes sure it's unloaded and the safety is on, and covers it with his shirt.

"Let's get out of here," he says, turning to me.

Back in the hall, Johanna is talking to Sanderson, obviously keeping his attention anywhere but on us and the room.

"We must have made a mistake," I explain quickly. "The footage we need isn't in the box we thought."

"Oh. Is there anything I can do to help?" He asks eagerly.

"I'll let you know, Private," I assure him. "For now, remain at your post and keep up the good work."

"Yes ma'am!" He snaps to attention and salutes us. We return it and put him in our proverbial rear view mirror.

"Did you get it?" Jo asks once we're back on the elevator.

"Yeah," Peeta nods.

"Good work," Beetee says in our ears. "Everyone's really proud of you guys."

We're silent the rest of the way back, but I slip my hand into Peeta's and hold on tight. We haven't talked about it yet, but I know we're both thinking it. We did all we could to keep our family safe, making a deal to stay out of the fighting. But now, we're right in the middle of it. There's nothing we can do about it, we know that, and we also know what we must do. It's the right thing to do, there's no question about that. But that doesn't mean it'll be easy, or we're not frantically worried about our kids.

I glance at my husband and scold myself for ever even thinking he can't protect us.

He would do anything, anything for his wife and kids. He's proved that time and again, but I was too stubborn to see it. He sacrificed himself to Gale and took that vicious beating. He knocked me over and took the bullet meant for me on the rescue mission. Thinking all the way back to the Games, he offered to let me kill him, so I could live on and go home.

I really owe him an apology. I'll have to wait until everyone leaves.

We make it back to our place and enter the living room. I immediately go to our bedroom door, which I'm happy to see is closed, and knock.

"It's me," I tell them. "We're back. We got it."

Annie swings the door open and without a word, hands Josh to me. I cradle him on my shoulder and kiss the top of his head. Peeta takes the gun out of his waistband, hands it to Beetee, and takes Eve out of Finnick's arms. As we stand next to each other, our free hands find one another, intertwining our fingers again.

"Fascinating," Beetee remarks as he inspects the gun. Everyone waits on the edge of their seats to see what he can find out. "The serial number has been filed off, but I'm fairly positive using special imaging on my laptop, I can recreate the numbers."

"Can that prove whose gun it is?" I ask.

He nods.

"If I can retrieve the full serial number, it's just a matter of opening the firearm registry, which is accessible by any of us, and matching the numbers to a name."

"How long will it take until you have the numbers?" Peeta asks.

Beetee looks back down at the gun, inspecting it again quickly.

"I'll have them by tomorrow's meeting," he says confidently.

"We have to prepare for the possibility this isn't Coin's gun," Haymitch gently tells us all. "We have the note, which we can prove was written by her, and Beetee found the footage of her leaving, and that might be enough. We'll know more tomorrow night."

"I think we should start talking to the officers we think can be persuaded to join us," I suggest.

Everyone turns to Haymitch, who's really taken on a leading role thus far.

"That's a good idea sweetheart," he nods. "Beetee, give me a copy of your list. Chaff, you and I will speak to them tomorrow, see if we can't get some of them to join us tomorrow night."

"We'll get them on our side," Chaff says confidently.

"Good work tonight everyone," Haymitch starts wrapping up. "We have further proof, and we're almost ready to plan how we'll do this."

"We need to do it in Command," I voice something I've been thinking about. They all look to me to explain. "It needs to be seen as a political as well as military coup. We need to air it for the entire District, and even the country, but we can't let her know she's on camera. We all need to be there to back Johanna up, and we all need to be armed. Hopefully some of the generals will be with us, and we can avoid violence."

It hits everyone how real this is, and somber faces appear all around the room.

"And we need to immediately announce the new President," I add.

"Who do you have in mind, sweetheart?" Haymitch asks.

"You," I point right at him.

His jaw drops and he's speechless.

"I second the motion," Peeta speaks up.

"I agree," Johanna says quickly.

"It should be you," Annie gently tells Haymitch.

"You're the obvious choice," Finnick adds.

"You know it's right," Chaff, who is closer to Haymitch than most, almost whispers.

"I – I don't know sweetheart," he stutters.

"Oh shut up," I snap back. "You're one of the smartest people I know, Haymitch. Ever since you stopped drinking, you've proved how invaluable you are, not just for the rebellion but also for this family. We love you, Haymitch, and you are the right choice to lead us."

"She's right," Effie says quietly.

Everyone else quickly voices their agreement, leaving Haymitch with really no room to argue.

"We'll discuss all this more tomorrow," he stands up. "I'm honored, I really am. Goodnight everyone."

Before he leaves, he walks up to Peeta and me.

He stares into my eyes and I can see the gratitude there, the love he has for us.

"Thank you," he whispers to both of us. "If I do take that mantle, I'll try my best to prove you right."

"We know you will," Peeta whispers back.

Haymitch smiles, leans down, and kisses Josh and Eve gently on their foreheads. He leaves without another word.

The rest of the group follows, most of them copying Haymitch and saying goodnight to the twins. Peeta and I stand there and let the aunts and uncles show their love.

Finally, we're alone.

Peeta and I look at each other.

"Bed," we say at the same time, causing us both to smile.

We walk into our bedroom, and the first thing we do is take our holsters off, putting them safely in our nightstands, easily accessible for the adults.

We lay down with the twins between us on the bed. I reach across and link my hand with Peeta's.

"What a day," he sighs.

"That's the truth if I've ever heard it," I grin.

"I can't believe it's really Coin," he shakes his head slowly in disbelief.

"I know," I nod. "But we're pretty much positive, right? I'd be very surprised if that gun isn't registered to her."

"It probably will be," he recognizes sadly. "It's just really disheartening. 13 was supposed to be different, but now we're finding out it's just another Capitol."

"We're going to change it," I assure him.

"You don't think we're taking on too much? A coup in the middle of a war?" He asks nervously.

"Maybe. But we don't really have a choice honey. We can't let her come up with another plan that might succeed." I take a moment and think about if she does get her wish. "Peeta – I can't lose you. I just can't. Please baby, we have to do this."

"You're not going to lose me," he says firmly, moving around the bed to sit up against the backboard. He pats the spot between his legs and I back up into it, the twins in my lap. "I promise Kat. We're going to get rid of Coin and win this war. For these two perfect babies right here."

"They are pretty perfect, huh?" I smile looking down at them.

"They are. They take after their mommy," he whispers in my ear.

I roll my eyes, but instead of my usual protests, I just accept it for what it is. Peeta loving me.

"Baby I owe you a huge apology," I speak up after a few moments.

"For what?"

"What we talked about yesterday. Me not believing in you. Making you think I don't trust you to protect us," I explain while I lean my head back on his shoulder. He leans his head down next to my cheek.

"Kat, it's okay," he tries.

"No, it's not," I instantly reply. "I've been a terrible wife in that regard, Peeta. It's absolutely your job as my husband and the father of our children to protect us. I've, whether I realize it or not, consistently prevented you from doing your job. I'm so sorry baby. I'll try harder, I promise."

"Honey, I don't want you to misunderstand. I absolutely love the fact that you so fiercely defend and protect the four of us. I would never want to change that about you. You're incredibly loyal, and even more loving, and that's never more obvious than when you keep us safe."

"Oh Peeta," I sob, unable to hold my tears in any longer. It's been an emotional day. "Thank you. But I don't want _you _to misunderstand either honey. When you laid down and let Gale beat you, to save me and the twins, I've never felt more proud or more loved. You were literally sacrificing your life so we could live on. You're the bravest person I know. Remember when you took a bullet for me? I really thought that was the end, and I was just praying that you'd make it out and back to the kids. But then my amazing husband saves my life, again ignoring his own safety, putting my life above everything else. Do you have any idea how that makes me feel as your wife? While yes, it was scary and terrifying when you got shot and beat up, when I was sitting at your bedside both times, I asked myself what I did to deserve someone like you. Someone who loves me so much they'd die for me without a second thought. You proved that when you offered to let me kill you at the end of our Games. You didn't even have to think about it, remember baby? That's the kind of man my husband is. That's the kind of man the twins have for a daddy."

Peeta has tears rolling down his cheeks as well, and I turn his face to kiss him gently.

"I love you so much," I whisper against his lips. "I'll never doubt you again."

"I love you too," he whispers back. "Thank you Kat. You have no idea what this means to me."

I smile as he pulls me in tighter. The twins have fallen asleep in my lap, so we spend a little while just staring down at the perfection that is our kids.

"Let's put them to bed," I suggest quietly. "I have something I need to do with you. Alone."

"Oh? What would that be?" He grins.

"You'll find out," I smirk as we stand up, each of us with one of the kids. "Patience is a virtue honey."

"Fine, but it better be good," he says over his shoulder as I follow him into the twins' room.

"Promise." I seal it with a sweet kiss.

We tuck them in, and we take some time with each of them to say goodnight.

"Goodnight baby girl," I coo to Eve, stroking her soft face with my finger. "It's amazing how much your daddy and I love you, and you can't even speak yet. I can't wait until the day you can say 'I love you' back to us. At least, I hope you will," I grin. Peeta chuckles into my hair. "You be a good girl tonight, okay? Mommy and daddy need some time together. I know you'll be good, because you're my girl. We love you Evey." I lean down and kiss her softly on her lips, making sure to not wake her. Peeta does the same and we move to Josh's crib.

I let Peeta say goodnight for both of us.

"Goodnight buddy," he smiles down at our son, grasping onto my hand as he does. "I'm glad your eyes are closed right now, because if they were open, I'd stand here mesmerized for hours. They're just like your mom's. I can get lost in them. Correction, I do get lost in them," I giggle into his shoulder. "You follow your sister and be a good boy tonight. I know you will, my handsome son. Sleep tight, Joshua Haymitch, mommy and daddy are here to keep you safe. We love you." He leans down and repeats the kiss we gave Eve. I follow soon after.

He stops in the doorway and gazes at their sleeping forms.

"Come on," I gently pull him. "They're going to be okay. We'll come back in a little while and check on them. Would you like that?"

He nods and I smile at his concern.

"Now I get to show you what I wanted to do once we were alone," I seductively whisper in his ear as we enter the bedroom. He visibly shudders and I kiss his ear.

"This way," I tug on his hand, leading him towards the bathroom. He follows in a daze. Once we're outside the shower, I reach in and turn it on. I face Peeta and go right for his belt buckle. That snaps him out of it and he goes to work on getting me naked. "Atta boy," I grin when he pulls my pants down.

Eventually I'm left in my bra and panties, while he's naked. We kiss, waiting for the shower to heat up sufficiently. I feel his hand snake around my back and unclasp my bra. I smirk when his hands find the newly exposed skin of my breasts, and my nipples get hard almost immediately.

Without warning he kneels down in front of me. I'm so taken by surprise that I almost jump when I feel his lips on the lace of my panties right over my wet pussy.

"I can taste you through your panties baby," he smirks up at me.

I just moan and thread my fingers through his hair, pushing him back towards me. He buries his head between my legs and lays a series of kisses down, then tugs my panties down a bit and attaches his lips to my clit while he slips a finger inside me.

"Come baby," he coaxes. "We're not getting in the shower until you come."

"That won't be a problem," I whimper.

He replaces his finger inside me with his tongue, and that's the catalyst that pushes me over the cliff.

"Fuck Peeta, there it is," I moan. "Oh your tongue feels so good inside me. I'm coming honey, I'm coming so hard. Can you feel it?"

He nods slightly, refusing to remove his tongue. I don't disagree. He slowly brings me back down to earth, pulling my panties back up and kissing the outside of them again. Finally, he stands back up and I immediately crash my lips onto his.

"Not only could I feel it," he tells me between frantic kisses, "I could taste it. Delicious."

"Get me inside that shower right now Peeta Mellark," I demand breathily. He smiles wide and kisses me quickly.

"Take them off for me?" He asks almost shyly, motioning to my soaked panties.

I smile and nod. I quickly push him down onto the bench in the shower, knowing what he wants. I turn around so my ass is right in his face. I bend over and slowly, tantalizingly, slide my panties down over my ass and down my thighs. When I finally step out of them, I just hand them to him.

"Thank you," he grins gratefully. He goes through his ritual of inhaling my scent, kisses them, then tosses them out of the shower.

"As long as you're already sitting," I point out.

Before he can react, I mount him, and slide his throbbing cock inside me. We groan in unison as I sit all the way down, burying him in me to the hilt.

"Shit you're warm," he moans.

"Yeah, that happens when my husband licks my pussy until I'm shaking with ecstasy," I deadpan as I begin thrusting, his hands on my hips aiding.

I link my arms around his neck and kiss him hard. I feel one of his hands grope my breast while the other moves to my ass, grasping it roughly.

"I want to fuck you against the wall again," he tells me.

"Do it," I nod. "Take me. Pound me into submission."

He moves his other hand to my ass and grabs on as he stands up, taking me right with him as I make sure he stays inside me. I even am able to thrust a couple times while he's moving us to the wall. He backs me up against the wall and I feel the familiar cool tiles on my skin.

He fucks me harder than the last time we did this, which I already thought was the hardest he'd ever slammed into me. It's rough, and almost violent, but we can't deny how utterly arousing and pleasurable it is.

"Fuck I'm coming again," I yell after only a couple minutes. "Yes! Fuck me harder!"

Somehow he kicks it up a notch and all I can do is hold onto him for dear life. I goad him on, knowing how much he loves it when I talk dirty.

"Come inside me baby," I stroke his cheek with one hand while I use the other to steady myself. "I know you want to. I want it too. So much. I love when you come in my pussy, the only thing even comparable is when you come in my mouth."

"Oh Kat," he groans, and he stops his rhythmic thrusts, instead pounding his entire length into me five times, then comes on the last one. "I'm coming baby, you're so tight."

I kiss him while he comes inside me, wanting to feel as close to him as humanly possible right now. Once he's emptied himself into me, he collapses against me, holding us up with his hands on the wall. He rests his forehead on my shoulder and I kiss his temple softly.

"That was incredible," I whisper. "You've never fucked me that hard honey."

"I know," he says without moving. "I think everything that's happening has something to do with it."

"Oh I'm sure of it," I nod. "We both need each other more than ever, and that need is emotional and physical. I'm here for you Peeta, for whatever you need."

"Thank you Katniss. You know I'm right here for you too."

"I do," I run my fingers through his hair gently.

He eventually pulls out once his erection fades, and we go about our shower routine, washing each other's hair and bodies. I sit him down on the bench again and wash and massage his stump, noting again to than Beetee one more time for his new legs. They really make a difference.

I snap his prosthetic back on and he stands up. I'm still kneeling, so his crotch fills my vision.

"Hmm," I reach out and grasp his flaccid length.

"Kat," he whimpers, and I can't tell if he's warning me not to do this or moaning in pleasure. Either way I'm not stopping.

I put him in my mouth and feel him grow hard again, ignoring my gag reflex in order to suck down his whole length. He moans definitively now, grasping my hair as I bob my head.

I cradle his balls with one hand while the other helps stroke his cock as I continue working it with my tongue and lips. I look up at him and his eyes are closed, biting his lower lip.

When his grip on my head gets more forceful I know he's almost ready to come again. I try something new that I've wanted to for a while now.

I take him out of my mouth and straighten up more. He opens his eyes to see what I'm doing. I smile up at him as I put his cock right between my boobs, then grab either side of them, squeezing them around him, and start moving up and down.

"Oh my god," he mumbles in disbelief.

"Thought you'd like this," I tilt my head to the side.

"Perfect, so perfect," he whispers.

I smile wide as I speed up, quickly kissing the very tip when it appears near my mouth.

"I'm going to come Kat," he informs me. He looks down, unsure of what's about to happen.

I don't change our positions at all, and when he comes, I feel it hit my chin, my chest, and when I look down, my face. I open my mouth and try to catch as much of it as I can, amazed at the size of his load even after we've already had sex.

I look up to him, his come dripping down my cheeks and off my chin, and the look on his face is absolutely priceless. Worth every second. It's joy, of course, mixed with a healthy dose of 'holy shit I can't believe my wife just did that'. I smirk as I use my fingers to start cleaning myself, licking them off as I stare him in the eyes.

"You're so amazing," he tells me in wonderment as I stand back up, washing my body off quickly under the showerhead. "Thank you Katniss. That was, well, indescribable."

"I've wanted to try that for a while," I admit sheepishly. "I'm glad you liked it."

"Liked it?" He says incredulously. "Baby that was simply incredible. Every moment of it."

"Well maybe we'll just have to try it again sometime. Perhaps I can use it as a reward for you. Would you like that?" I grin as we step out of the shower, wrapping each other up in our towels.

"Yes, please," he answers like a little kid.

I grab his towel and dry his hair off vigorously, kissing him after I'm finished.

"Come on, you can braid my hair if you want," I pull him towards the bedroom.

I sit in his lap, clad in only a bra and panties, as he lovingly braids my hair into a single braid. While he does, he constantly is laying soft kisses on my shoulders and my neck, sending shivers down my spine.

"You are so beautiful," he whispers when he declares he's done.

I turn around and straddle him, kissing him to shut him up for the time being.

We lie down, Peeta on his back, and I nuzzle my head where his shoulder meets his neck, throwing a leg over his.

"I love you," I whisper between gentle kisses as we fall asleep. "And not just because you use your tongue like that."

He chuckles and I giggle.

"I love you too," he whispers, kissing the top of my head softly then lifting up the end of my braid and kissing that too. "And not just because of the amazing way you just let me come all over you."

"Yeah, I am a pretty good wife, aren't I?" I say sarcastically.

"The absolute best," he confirms. "Goodnight baby."

"Goodnight honey. Just for the record, you're the best husband and father in the world."

We drift off to sleep, and even though tomorrow might bring a whole new set of problems, I know my husband will be right by my side as we figure it out, together.

**A/N: So they have more proof now. That was a great observation by my buddy Ripe, that anyone could have written that note. I was already planning to have Katniss figure out how to authenticate it, but it was still sharp reading buddy. **

**Do you think they'll be able to sway some of the other officers? I can't imagine Coin having built up a ton of loyalty. Sure, I'm positive a few of her inner circle will be loyal to her til the end, but the Victors have a pretty solid case here. We'll have to wait and see what happens, won't we?**

**I'm trying my best to balance the drama and action with, well, smut and family time. Honestly I don't like writing a chapter without some down time, without having Katniss and Peeta talk through what's going on in the story. I hope you like the direction I'm taking this. **

**If you haven't checked it out, I posted the newest chapter of 'Top Of The World' earlier today. It's the longest yet, and one of my favorites so far. Spoiler alert: Prim is in it!**

**Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. I'm blessed to have so many followers who diligently read and review every new chapter I write. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. **

**Have an awesome Saturday night. I can't believe the end of that Broncos/Ravens game! That was crazy!**

**Until next time…..**


	28. Setting A Date

_**Fair Warning: There's some explicit conversation at the beginning of this chapter, and a graphic sex scene near the end. Enjoy, or skip if you so please.**_

"Oh, baby girl, look at the mess you made," I whisper once I get Eve's diaper off. She just smiles up at me, content to have her mommy wipe her tush for her.

Her cries woke me up about ten minutes ago. Peeta was basically dead to the world, so I got out of our bed to take care of our daughter. I don't mind all that much, it's already around the time we'd be waking up anyways.

"Now you smell a lot better don't you?" I grin down at her. I carefully wrap her up in a clean diaper, then put her in a onesie. She's wide awake now, so I prop her on my shoulder and sit down in the rocking chair.

Josh really takes after his father. The two of them could sleep through a war. Actually that's exactly what they're doing right now, I chuckle to myself. My two beautiful blonde boys. Oh how I love them. God help me if either of them ever figures out just how much. I still have quite a bit of power over Peeta, and I must say I enjoy it thoroughly. Nothing bad, it's just obvious that if he ever fully understood the depth of my love for him, I'd be putty in his hands. Literally anything he wanted, he'd get. It's not much different now, granted, but I still have at least some defenses.

Eve happily plays with the end of my braid as I rock back and forth slowly. I continually have to stop her from putting my hair in her mouth. That's been her new thing lately – trying to stick anything and everything in her mouth.

"Hey come on," I softly scold her yet again. "Baby you have to listen to mama. I'm not trying to be mean sweetie, but you just can't eat mommy's hair okay?" She pouts at my tone of voice and I shake my head in defiance, not letting her big blue eyes get to me. "Your father might get those to work on me, but I'm staying strong," I tell her. I don't know how she does it, but a single tear falls from her eye. If there's one thing that breaks my heart in half, it's my kids crying. "Oh baby girl, don't cry. Mommy's right here. Come here," I pull her flush against my chest, feeling her tiny heart beating. "Evey, there are going to be times in your life when your daddy and I tell you that you can't do certain things. We're not doing it to be mean, or annoy you, we're doing it because we love you. I promise. I never want you or your brother to doubt your parents' love for the two of you. Ever."

I sigh as Eve calms down at my touch and voice. Apparently because I carried her in my womb for nine months, she got used to my voice. It was the first one she ever heard. They say that even a newborn baby could pick its mother's voice out of a crowd of fifty women. It always makes me feel so proud when in a crowded room, my kids turn at the sound of my voice.

"One day I'm going to tell you the full story of how you and your brother got here. Well, almost the full story," I chuckle softly. "I want you to know that before I married your father, I never wanted to have children. I actually was pretty adamant I'd never even think about it. That all changed when I met your daddy. I'm sure you already know how amazing he is, but let me tell you a little more about him. I was really mean to him when we first met. I'm still ashamed of that, Evey. I thought he was against me when in reality he was doing everything in his power to keep me safe, protected. Like he does for us now. He saved me baby girl, he saved me so many times. He saved my life of course, repeatedly, but he saved my soul too. When I finally got my head out of my butt and started dating your father, I changed. I changed a lot. He taught me how to love, how to put the people I love ahead of everything. Because that's what your daddy does. He puts the three of us, you, your brother, and me, above everything. He'd do anything for us. I want you to always remember that you have the best daddy in the whole world. He took me from a scared, angry girl to your loving, caring mother. I couldn't thank him enough if I tried."

I take a break, realizing Eve's eyes slid shut at some point during my ramblings. Then my senses alert me to someone else's presence, and there's only one person that could be. I raise my eyes.

Peeta's leaning against the doorframe, his arms folded across his chest, a small, content smile on his face. I notice like me and Eve a few minutes ago, he has a few tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Hey," I smile. "Good morning honey."

"Good morning baby," he smiles back as he enters the room.

He stops at Josh's crib, looks down in awe at his son, and leans down to kiss him.

When he makes it over to me, I stand up and direct him to take my seat. Once he does I slide into his lap still holding Eve.

"Did you really mean all that?" He quietly asks. I'm really glad he heard, because I know I'd have a hard time saying it to his face. Not because I'm scared or anything, just because I get really nervous and stumble over my words, trying to be perfect for him.

"Every single word," I confirm. "Never doubt you saved me, Peeta. Never doubt that our children have the absolute best daddy in the world."

"I guess that works out, considering they also have the best mommy," he whispers and lightly kisses my ear. I giggle softly.

"What are we doing today?" I ask curiously.

"We have a class to teach after lunch, but besides that nothing. After dinner we have everyone here for the meeting," he reports. "I really hope Haymitch and Chaff are able to persuade some of the officers."

"They will," I say confidently. "We've seen firsthand the disdain a lot of them hold for Coin. She plays favorites. That much is pretty blatant."

"I agree, but having disdain and agreeing to stage a coup are vastly different," he points out.

"Granted, but if any of them have any doubts then we should just show them our proof," I suggest.

"God my wife is smart," he says proudly. "She's so sexy when she talks like that."

"Peeta you think I'm sexy no matter what I'm doing," I deadpan.

"You've finally figured me out," he laments in mock sadness. I giggle again.

"Honey will you grab us some breakfast? I don't feel like going and I'm having a really good time spending quality time with my daughter," I plead.

"Of course," he instantly replies. "But I want just a few more minutes of having the two prettiest girls in Panem snuggled on my lap."

"I can live with those terms," I grin and lay my head back on his shoulder, letting him see more of our daughter in my arms.

He gets up a few minutes later and kisses us goodbye before heading out the door. I sigh, knowing that I'm the one who asked him to leave, but that doesn't change the fact I already miss him. I'm well aware he's coming right back, and he's only been gone for a matter of minutes, but when he's not with me I feel…..incomplete.

Peeta comes back through the door after maybe twenty minutes have gone by. I gently tuck Eve back in to her crib. Peeta, without asking, plops down on the floor between their cribs and pulls me down with him. He knew I wouldn't want to leave their room just yet.

"Did I do okay?" He asks, motioning to the plate he brought back for me.

"Yup," I nod, my mouth full of bread. He grins at my face.

"You're adorable," he tells me.

I shrug casually.

"I try," I grin.

"No you don't," he shakes his head. "And that's what makes it so adorable."

"You got me," I admit, feigning sadness like he did previously. "You caught me in a lie. We both know what that means. The question is, what are you going to do about it?"

By now we're finishing up our meals, and Peeta takes both our plates and sets them in the hallway for a worker to pick up.

"Come on," he tugs on my hand, "let's go take a bath."

I nod and smile as he leads me towards the bathroom, gently closing the twins' door behind us as we go.

We help undress each other slowly, and Peeta makes a point of kissing every inch of skin that I bare. We get down to our underwear, Peeta in his boxers and me in my matching sunset orange panties and bra.

"Oh my god," he mumbles happily when he sees the color of my lingerie.

"I had these made just for you," I reveal in a whisper. "I know they're not a sunset, but I wanted to at least remind you of one while we're stuck underground."

"So much better than a sunset," he mumbles again, staring at my breasts then my crotch. I let him look all he wants. "Kat I want to be honest for a sec." I nod for him to continue. "The pregnancy made your boobs unbelievably amazing. Don't get me wrong, I loved them before you got pregnant, but now….oh god."

I giggle and grasp his wrists, bringing them up to fondle me gently. I go in for a kiss and he obliges. After a few moments of groping and kissing, we decide to get in the tub. It's sufficient full of warm, inviting water.

I tug his boxers down and he kicks them off. I wait for him to remove my remaining articles of clothing. He attaches his lips to my neck as he quickly and expertly unclasps my bra. He grasps onto it and looks at it in wonder.

"Can you wear these more often?" He asks a tad nervously.

"Of course," I assure him. "As long as you wear those silk green boxers I love."

"Deal," he nods.

I shove him gently so he sits on the edge of the tub. I step right in front of him and, as slow as I can, start pulling my panties down. He just shakes his head slightly in disbelief and wonderment.

Now we're both naked, and ready for our bath.

"Get in first," I instruct him. "Actually, no, wait."

I kneel down in front of him and unsnap his prosthetic. Once it's off I place it to the side. It's waterproof, of course, but I know he's more comfortable in the tub with it off. Once his stump is revealed, I massage it gently, concerned with how sore it must be.

"Does this help?" I ask.

"You have no idea how much it does," he nods.

"Good. I'm glad," I whisper. "It's my fault anyways," I say under my breath. He hears me.

He rolls his eyes.

"We're not getting into this again right now," he declares. "All I'm saying on the subject is that you're wrong."

I don't rebut him, respecting his wishes. I finish massaging his stump then softly kiss every inch of it. I always try to remember to kiss it, to reassure him that it doesn't bother me, never has and never will.

"Okay, now you're allowed to get in," I smile as I stand back up.

I reach down and help him get into the tub on his one foot. We've gotten good at this dance, and he settles in with his back up against the opposite end of the faucet.

He just looks up at me, glances at the spot between his legs, and waits.

I step in to the warm water and sit where he motioned, between his legs. I back up so my back is against his chest, and lay my shoulder back where his shoulder meets his neck.

"This is nice," I remark after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

Peeta slowly washes my body, caressing everywhere his hands go.

"I think the twins really got a kick out of it when we brought them with us in here a few days ago," he smiles and kisses my cheek.

"They loved it," I agree. "It was kind of weird at first, all of us being naked together, but after a while it just felt right."

"Yeah, I was starting to get jealous of Josh getting to rest on your boobs," he jokes.

"Hey, I'm not breastfeeding anymore," I remind him with a smirk. "They're all yours again baby."

He grabs a little more soap and washes said boobs, spending some time playing with both my nipples, which could cut diamonds right about now. I moan quietly and turn my head to kiss his neck.

We hear some rustling coming from the baby monitor, so we both listen intently. After a few moments we realize it was probably just one of the kids turning in their sleep or something. We both sigh in relief that one of us doesn't have to leave the bathtub just yet.

"I'm pretty sure I realized whom they belong to when you used them to make me come yesterday," he explains with a smile, remembering what I did for him.

"God I loved that," I say dreamily.

"Even the part where, um, you had come all over your face?" He asks nervously.

"Especially that part," I giggle. "I've told you time and again that my body belongs to you, and if you enjoy coming on my face, just tell me. I'm happy to help."

"I won't lie, that was, well, indescribable. But my favorite will always be coming inside you," he whispers the last part.

"Me too," I nod. "But I also love when you fill my mouth up and I swallow every drop."

"Have I ever told you how utterly glorious it is when you do that? I'm a little ashamed to admit it, but it makes me feel like I own you in some way. Every time you do it, I still can't believe it. It just plain makes me so much more aroused."

"You _do_ own me," I shoot back quickly. "And I started swallowing to show you just that, but now I do it simply because we both love when I do. Remember the first time I ever did it?" I ask, curious if he remembers that wonderful experience.

"Of course," he nods and rests his chin on my shoulder. "It was a couple days after Gale attacked us. I felt bad that we weren't having sex so I convinced you to let me make you come with my fingers. Then you just crawled over, took my cock out, and literally took the entire thing in your mouth. There's almost nothing as sexy as seeing my wife do that, apparently enjoying it as much as I do."

"It took me a little while to be able to suck your whole length at once," I explain softly. "I had to learn to ignore and suppress my gag reflex."

"Why?" He asks.

I chuckle and he just looks even more confused.

"It's because you're fucking huge Peeta. Granted, yours is the only cock I've ever sucked or had inside me, but I don't need that to recognize how enormous you are. I'm a lucky girl, I'll tell you that much."

"You don't need to say things like that," he whispers unsurely. "Please, I hate it when people stroke my ego."

"I'm doing nothing of the sort," I respond almost angrily. "Peeta I can't believe you'd think I'd lie, especially about something like this. We agreed no secrets and no lies right? Everything I'm telling you happens to be the truth. Trust me I've gotten second opinions," I blurt out the last sentence and immediately pray he didn't hear it.

With my bad luck, he did.

"What? Who? How? You told someone else about my little guy?" He frantically rattles off.

"I though Josh was your little guy," I tease.

"Come on Kat," he pleads.

"Ugh. Fine. I talked to Annie about it, okay?"

"Oh god now I'm going to be so awkward around her," he laments.

"Peeta you shouldn't feel embarrassed. Yeah, I guess it's a little awkward, but she's my best friend. We talk about almost everything. And I'm happy to tell you that from my description, she assures me you're way bigger than average."

"Really?" He asks really quietly.

"Yup," I kiss his cheek softly. "She tells me I'm a lucky girl. I agree."

He still doesn't look like he believes me, so I decide to prove it to him.

"That's it," I say firmly as I wiggle around to straddle him. "We're going to get you hard then you're going to fuck me while I ride you and you'll see just how huge your cock is, and how much I simply treasure it."

His jaw hits the floor, or rather the bottom of the tub, and we begin. He rocks my world, of course, and I take every opportunity to tell him how enormous he is, and what it makes me feel like when it's inside of me.

The rest of the day practically flies by. We eat lunch in the cafeteria, pushing the twins along in their stroller. Nobody talks about what we discuss behind closed doors. We joke and laugh, but it's not even close to being forced. When he gets up to leave, Haymitch quietly reminds all of us about tonight's meeting for 'mandatory fun'.

Class is okay. Peeta and I are still working with their shooting skills, recently moving onto assault rifles and for a few of the really good shots, sniper rifles.

I'm surprised when we calculate that Madge is one of the top three in accuracy, speed of reloading, and cleaning her guns blindfolded. I pull her aside and tell her how great of a soldier she's turning into, and how proud I am of her. She beams at my praise and pulls me in for an impromptu hug. I'm not her Colonel at that moment, but rather her friend.

After we wrap class up we head back to the room as a family. All four of us climb into our bed and we're out within ten minutes, Peeta's and my hands linked over our twins, protecting them even in our sleep.

Our alarm wakes us when it's time to go to dinner. Prim comes by and babysits while we go, as she has a different meal schedule most days. She takes them into our bedroom without asking, sets them down, and grabs my spare pistol just in case. Peeta and I have taught her how to shoot, and she's a natural.

Dinner is normal, banter flowing easily across the table. Peeta and I work together as a team and usually come out on top, always having a snarky comeback or putdown. It's all in good fun.

Finally the hour arrives for the meeting. Prim helps us tuck the twins in, and we fill her in on everything. She's quiet until we're finished then freaks out. I spend ten minutes calming her down before she's coherent enough to make it back to her room. I promise her I'll keep her in the loop about anything we talk about or do.

Everyone but Haymitch and Chaff arrive, and we wait patiently, not talking about anything we'd just have to repeat when they arrive.

After about fifteen minutes there's a soft knock on the door. I'm closest currently so I jump up and open it.

Haymitch and Chaff are on the other side, grinning from ear to ear. I stick my head out and look down the hall in both directions. I'm stunned.

There must be at least ten officers with them, and I can see five of them are generals.

"Please, come in," I open the door wider. "We ran out of seats. I apologize."

"That's fine ma'am, we prefer to stand anyways," one of the officers, a Captain, tells me as they politely scoot past me.

Once they're all inside I close the door and return to my seat. To give Haymitch somewhere to sit I slide into Peeta's lap. Annie does the same to provide Chaff with a seat as well.

"Thank you all for coming," Peeta says gratefully to the officers. "Haymitch and Chaff explained why you're here?"

"Yes, Colonel Mellark," the highest-ranking general present answers, a three star named Quentin. "We're here because we believe in your cause. Coin is nothing but evil, a poison to this District, this country, and especially this army."

"So you'll help us?" I ask quietly.

"Whatever you may need, consider it done. We're behind you one-hundred percent. Out there, we may be generals, colonels, majors and so on, but in here, we recognize you, your husband, and Haymitch are clearly in charge."

That blows my mind. They trust us enough to guide everyone in the right direction. It makes me feel really proud, but scared at the same time.

"Let's get started," Haymitch suggests. "Beetee, have you found out who the gun belongs to yet?"

Beetee breaks out his laptop, types furiously for a few seconds, then looks up to address everyone.

"I was able to recreate the serial number. I traced the gun to its point of origin. According to the firearm registry, this gun," he holds it up to show, "is locked up in the safe in President Coin's office."

"And you can prove this?" General Quentin queries.

"Of course," Beetee instantly answers, slightly offended.

He turns his laptop around so everyone can see the screen. On it, the gun is clearly visible with the serial number superimposed over it. On the right side of the screen the firearm registry is pulled up, the entry of the serial number highlighted and enlarged.

"So she did give Francis the weapon to try and murder my husband," I mutter with hate. "I think you're right Jo, we need to use that same gun to assassinate her."

"We need to start planning," Haymitch interrupts. "Now that we have the help of all of these brave officers, I have no doubt we'll come up with a watertight plan of attack."

"I think Katniss was right last night," Peeta puts in. "We all need to be there when it goes down, we need to show everyone all of the proof, we all must be armed with no exceptions, and as soon as we've gained control, announce the new leader."

"Who will be taking over?" A younger lieutenant asks.

"Haymitch Abernathy," I answer with a grin. The officers contemplate this for a moment before General Quentin answers for them as a group.

"We'll be more than happy to back you up Haymitch. You'll be a just and fair president."

"Thank you," Haymitch says almost inaudibly. Then he speaks up. "Okay, so are we all in agreement with the terms Katniss set forth? All in favor say 'aye'."

Everyone, in unison, says 'aye'. Not one single dissenting vote.

"Very good," Haymitch nods. "Now I think because of the situation, we need to act fast. It won't take Coin that long to figure out Katniss, Peeta and Johanna stole that gun from the evidence locker. I'm actually surprised at how sloppy she is. I thought she'd have destroyed it by now, considering it implicates her directly."

"Well can we do it tomorrow? Peeta and I have been asked to attend a meeting in Command at two in the afternoon," I suggest.

"Can we be ready by tomorrow?" Haymitch asks the general.

"We'll be ready," he assures him.

"Beetee, you'll be able to tap into the security cams so we can broadcast it right?" Haymitch turns to our tech aficionado.

"Absolutely," Beetee nods confidently. "She'll have no idea she's on the air for everyone to see."

"Good. I think that when we initiate the coup, you should stay somewhere safe in order to be able to help us in any way you can," Haymitch explains slowly.

"I'll stay with him for protection while he works," Wiress speaks up.

"Thank you Wiress," Haymitch gives her a small smile.

"When she figures out what's going on, she and her closest allies are going to get defensive and most likely draw down," the general explains to us. "Here's what should happen. You, the Victors, get her attention as you relay to her why we're doing this, etc. My men and I will flank her to envelop her, giving her nowhere to run. Then we can summarily execute her after giving her a short tribunal."

I shiver at how easily he refers to murdering the sitting president. I don't blame him, after all he's a soldier, and apparently a damn good one at that.

"Johanna Mason will be pulling the trigger," Haymitch informs the room. "You're still up to it right?" He looks right at her.

"You'd better believe it," she snaps, obviously offended by Haymitch even insinuating she changed her mind. "Nobody in this room will be safe until I put a bullet through her skull. I'm doing this so my niece and nephew can grow up in a safer world." She looks right at me while she speaks her last sentence, and I'm well aware of what it means to hear her say that out loud. In front of a bunch of people, no less. I give her a look that says 'thank you. I love you'.

"We'll meet let's say tomorrow morning at ten right back here," Haymitch glances at his watch. "We'll run through the entire thing, a dry run if you will. We'll take care of any last minute questions or details. When we leave this room tomorrow, our only options are to go through with it or abort. We need to be all in or all out."

"There are some other officers I know would be itching to join us," Quentin adds. "Shall I speak with them?"

"If you can keep it quiet, yes," I answer firmly. "But make sure they're completely on our side before you give them any information. Think up some kind of test, maybe."

"Don't worry about that," he assures me. "I know just what to do."

"Okay, so if there's nothing further, we should break for the night," Haymitch announces.

Everyone mills around for a few minutes, getting to know the officers a little better. They seem to fit right in, laughing and throwing jokes around with Finnick and Peeta. It's obvious just from the looks on their faces during the meeting how much they truly loathe Coin.

Finally everyone leaves, and the only people left are Peeta, Haymitch and I.

"I need to talk to you kids for a minute," he tells us as he shuts the door behind Finnick and Annie.

"Go ahead," Peeta nods as we sit down.

"Look, it could get really hairy tomorrow. It's going to be dangerous. We have no idea what her reaction's going to be, and I'm not very confident it will be remotely peaceful."

"So? We knew that," I shrug.

"In that room," he glances at the door to the twins' room, "are two innocent lives. They're going to need their parents to help them grow up."

I understand what he's getting at, even if he won't come out and say it. Peeta beas me to it, speaking first.

"You can't ask us to put our friends in harm's way while we sit back," he shakes his head. "We tried that once and they almost all died, and I got shot. You're absolutely right that our kids need us. They need everyone of their aunts and uncles too. That's why tomorrow, we're going to do anything we have to in order to get all of us out of there safely and unharmed."

"I still don't like it," Haymitch runs his hand through his hair, stressing out.

"You're not supposed to," I tell him. "It's what happens when you love people. No matter what, you worry about them."

"I guess," he nods sadly.

"Trust me Haymitch, there's nothing on this world that could prevent me from getting my children's mother back to them. Nothing," Peeta say adamantly. My heat swells. I almost speak up, but then I remember that Peeta revels in his role as protector, so I happily give him this small win.

"You're coming back with me. Both of you," I point at them threateningly. They both comically throw their hands up the air in the classic surrender pose. We all burst out laughing.

"Okay kids, have a good night. Try go get some rest. Like Effie would say, we have a big big day tomorrow!" He smiles sarcastically. With that, he leaves us.

I immediately stand up and face Peeta.

"Oh my god you talking about all of that got me so fucking wet and horny," I whimper as I quickly slide my hand down the front of my pants. His eyes go glassy in no time.

"Well we wouldn't want all our hard work to go to waste, now would we?" He teases as he stands up.

Our lips crash together in frantic, fast kisses. We move together, lips locked, towards the bedroom, literally ripping our clothes off of each other's backs.

He slams my back into the wall next the door and traces kisses down my body all the way to my panties.

"Baby as much as I love feeling your lips all over my body, now is the time for fucking," I breathily tell him with obvious lust.

I push him backwards until the back of his knees hit the bed and he falls onto it. I jump right on top of him and find his lips quickly, almost shoving my tongue in his mouth. I feel him slide his boxers off then reach for my panties.

"Get them the fuck off me right now," I order between kisses.

He listens and tears them off down my legs. He quickly smells them, smiles, and tosses them aside.

I take up my position over him and he slides into me, both of us moaning each other's names.

I start riding him hard, and we roll a few times to let each other have a turn on top. The last time we roll, though, neither of us realize there's no more bed for us to roll onto, and we go tumbling to the carpet.

We burst into tears of laughter. I'm glad he broke my fall and I didn't end up with his entire weight on top of me.

He pulls me down and we don't stop fucking for a second. I'm fully aware we're both most likely to get some nasty carpet burns, but right now I don't care in the slightest.

I reach up and take my braid out, shaking my head a bit to let my hair fall and splay out.

"Holy shit you're so beautiful," he mumbles with a happy, stupid grin. I smile wide down at him, my hands on either side of his finely toned stomach, helping me slide his cock in and out, in and out.

"You're not so bad yourself," I smirk as I lean down and kiss his chest, working my way back up to his lips.

The first time he makes me come, I'm in so much pleasure I temporarily lose my balance on top of him, but he catches me swiftly. The second time, it's so utterly explosive that Peeta's sure somewhere in this District there's some panes of glass I just shattered. If we haven't woken the kids yet I'd be very surprised.

"Come for me baby," I whisper in his ear as he throws me on my back and pounds into me. "Come as hard as you can."

"Fuck Kat I'm almost there," he groans, biting my shoulder for a few moments.

"You can come wherever you want," I seductively whisper. "In me, my mouth, anywhere on my body. You choose. Please baby, I need your come on or in me."

I send him right over the precipice and his face contorts into ecstasy as he slams into me in three successive, powerful thrusts. After the last one he pulls out, leans forward a bit, and strokes himself over my stomach until he explodes.

He covers my belly in his come, even getting some right into my belly button. I giggle at the sight of it, telling him it looks like a little pond. I stare him in the eyes as I use my fingers to gently clean his come up, bringing them to my mouth and sucking them dry once their saturated in his warm release.

"That was new," I smile as we collapse onto the bed, completely exhausted.

"It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing," he admits sheepishly. "You don't mind, do you?"

I roll my eyes sarcastically and chuckle.

"I told you, I love your come no matter where it goes. You almost brought me to another orgasm just watching you bust all over me. It was amazing, almost surreal."

"I can't believe you let me do whatever I want," he says in awe. "It really makes me feel in control, like I'm the one in charge."

"That's exactly what I'm going for," I cradle his cheek with my left hand. "I love when you take charge when we're together like that. It never ceases to make us both have way more exhilarating orgasms. Plus I just absolutely love having my husband possessively slam me up against a wall, or over a desk, or on the floor, and completely fuck me into submission. You make me yours, not leaving any doubt who I belong to."

"You're amazing," he whispers and kisses my temple. "Let's get some sleep. Try not to worry about tomorrow okay honey?"

"I wasn't until you just mentioned it," I tease. "I'll go flip the lights off."

"No I got it." Before I can protest he's already halfway there and he shrouds the room in darkness. He quickly takes up his position on his back and I reapply my head to his still bare chest.

"Tomorrow everything changes. Hopefully for the better," he postulates.

"No matter what happens tomorrow Peeta, remember that your kids love you. Your wife loves you. We're counting on you baby. We know you can succeed, we don't doubt it for a second."

"I'll have you right by my side," he smiles.

"Always," is the only response. He smiles wider.

"I love you, Peeta Mellark. Let's stage a coup."

He laughs into my hair and kisses it.

"I love you too, Katniss Mellark. Tomorrow night, Haymitch will be our president."

We both laugh at that, and how improbable it would've seemed just one measly year ago.

**A/N: Whew, two long chapters today. We got some more movement with the coup, and now they have decided when they're going for it. **

**I'm still trying to balance the fluff with the drama. I hope I'm succeeding. **

**Thanks go out to everyone for reading and reviewing. Please go read the newest chapter of 'It Was A Lie'. Everlark gets interviewed by Jon Krakauer!**

**Have a great beginning of your week. Ciao. **


	29. Final Preparations

_This wasn't how this coup was supposed to go. Not at all. _

_As soon as we revealed our intention, we were surrounded by guards loyal to Coin. She said she's always prepared for something like this. So she can keep a stranglehold on the power, I'm sure. _

_Beetee and Wiress are dragged into the room and thrown towards the rest of us. They forcibly disarm us and make us kneel with our hands on our heads. _

"_What to do, what to do?" Coin ponders sarcastically. _

_She paces in front of us mockingly. We're completely surrounded by her minions, their guns pointed right at us, their trigger fingers obviously itchy. _

"_I know," she smirks. "We're going to make a Propo. All of you will confess your crimes, apologize to me profusely, beg for my forgiveness, then swear an oath of allegiance to me."_

"_We'd rather die," Peeta states defiantly. We all nod our heads in agreement. _

"_Oh don't worry," she waves him off casually. "You'll be dead soon enough. All of you."_

"_I'm going to kill you," I angrily tell her. _

_She laughs in my face. _

"_You tried and failed. Now I finally get to succeed in what I've been trying to do since you arrived here. Say goodbye to each other, as soon as we're done filming you each get a bullet to the forehead."_

_I'm frantically racking my brain to figure a way out of this. I'm coming up empty. Peeta has his armory leg on, but we can't get to it without being obvious and overt. She's taken our side arms. _

"_Before we do all that," Coin continues smugly, "I'd like for you to see what you've lost." She looks right at me and Peeta. _

_She snaps her fingers and a door behind her opens up. _

_I gasp and tears automatically come to my eyes when my children are pushed in their stroller into the room by a female soldier. Prim and my mom are led in behind them, in shackles. _

"_I'm sorry Katniss," Prim looks at her feet sadly. "I tried to protect them."_

"_It's okay little duck," I manage to say emotionally. "It's not your fault."_

"_As touching as this is," Coin interrupts, "you now have a choice to make, Katniss."_

"_Leave my family out of this," I plead, "they have nothing to do with this. They're innocent."_

"_I can't do that," she shakes her head. "This is going to be too much fun watching you choose."_

"_Choose what?" I ask, exasperated. _

"_Who you love more. Your children or your husband. Either he dies or they die. Choose."_

_For good measure, the soldiers guarding Peeta and the twins rack their slides and chamber a round. The sound alone starts to crumble my world. _

"_I can't," I whimper. _

"_You have to, or I'll kill all three of them. And your sister and mother for good measure," Coin informs me, a sick smile on her face. _

"_It's okay Kat," Peeta gently says next to me. "I'm glad to die to save our children. Pick me. It's the last thing I'll ever ask you to do. Live on and raise our kids. Just make sure they don't forget their daddy."_

_Now I'm full on sobbing, my body and mind breaking down. This is unbearable. I have to make an impossible decision. _

"_I can't," I repeat shaking my head. _

"_Yes you can," he whispers. "I'm begging you Katniss. Save our kids."_

"_I love you," I cry out through my tears. _

"_I love you too. I'll always love you."_

"_We'll never forget you. I promise," I vow. _

"_I know it's hard, but I want you to move on. Be happy. Find a good man to help raise the twins."_

"_NO!" I scream. "I'll never love another man! Our children will grow up knowing exactly who their father was!"_

"_Enough!" Coin yells. "Have you made your decision?" _

"_Yes," I nod, hoping and praying that something will stop this from happening. _

"_Well?" She prompts. _

"_I choose to save my children," I'm barely able to say. _

"_Very noble of your husband," she sneers. "You've already said your goodbyes, so, guards, please execute Mr. Mellark."_

_A guard goes around behind Peeta, draws his pistol, and puts the barrel flush against the back of my husband's head. I stare into his eyes, unwilling to avert them, wanting him to know I'm with him until the end._

_The hammer goes back, and suddenly the world goes dark. _

"Kat!" I hear Peeta frantically call.

My eyes snap open and it takes me a moment to realize where I am. Peeta is hovering over me, the worry etched all over his face.

"Come back to me," he quietly begs. "It was just a nightmare."

"Hold me," I whimper painfully.

He nods and quickly falls on his back next to me, wrapping his arms around me tightly and pulling me as close as possible. I place my hand right over his heart, needing more than anything to feel it beating.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He gently asks after a few minutes of silence.

"We failed and she captured us," I explain, my head on his chest. "She was going to kill all of us."

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry you had to go through that," he whispers and kisses the top of my head.

"She made me choose," I blurt out.

"Choose? Choose what?"

"She made me choose between you and the twins. She said I could only save one of you. If you died, they lived, and vice-versa," I sob.

"Kat," he sighs heavily. "That's never going to happen."

"You made me pick to kill you," I angrily tell him. "You told me to save our kids and move on with my life."

"That's exactly what I'd do in that situation," he agrees.

"I know," I nod against his skin.

"It was just a nightmare honey. It wasn't real. I'm alive, the kids are alive. We're not going anywhere," he soothes.

"I couldn't do it, you know? Move on without you. My world just wouldn't make sense anymore. The twins would be the only things keeping me sane. You even told me to find a good man to help me raise them. I would never do that to you, even if you were gone. I told you that I'm yours, for eternity. My body, my soul, everything I am belongs to you. I could never even think about loving another man."

"Shh," he coos, softly rubbing my back. "Go back to sleep baby. Everything will be better in the morning. I promise."

"Peeta?" I whisper.

"Yeah?"

"Can we get the kids and have them sleep with us in the bed?" I ask timidly. "I just need to be with all three of you right now."

His face softens and he nods almost immediately.

"Of course. Let me go get them."

I try to get up with him, but he just gently pushes me back onto the bed.

"I'll be right back," he kisses me on the forehead and walks out of the room.

He reappears a few minutes later, the twins bundled up in his arms. I let out an audible breath when I see all three of them safe and sound.

"They miss their mommy," he smiles as he gets back into bed.

"Not nearly as much as mommy missed them," I give him the best smile I can muster.

He lies down with his head propped up a little. Without a word between us, I slide over and place myself between his legs, my back up against his chest as we lean back together. I pick up the twins carefully and hold them flush against my chest. Peeta wraps his arms around us and places his hands over mine, protecting us.

"Thank you," I whisper. "I needed this."

He kisses my cheek lightly.

As all four of us drift off to sleep, I've never felt safer.

When our alarm wakes us a few hours later, we're still in the same position. Peeta and I watch with awe as our children slowly wake up, blinking their sleepy eyes adorably up at us. We can't help but smile.

"Good morning my babies," I coo, leaning down to kiss both of them. Josh scrunches up his face when I place a kiss on his lips.

"You know, little man," Peeta grins as he speaks to our son, "you should cherish your mother's kisses. They're the best things in the world."

I roll my eyes but smile nonetheless.

"I'll go get us some breakfast," he tells me as I let him get up. He helps me lie back down with the twins still on my chest.

"Thanks," I tell him gratefully.

While he's gone, I take the opportunity to change and feed the kids. We move to the couch and wait for Peeta to get back, which he does soon.

"Here you go," he places a tray in front of me as he sits down next to me, taking Eve from my arms and wrapping her up his strong embrace.

We eat together, both preparing ourselves mentally for the day ahead of us.

"Thanks for helping me last night," I gratefully say quietly once we clean up.

"I'm always here for you," he assures me. I give him a kiss on the lips. "Mmm, I was right. Your kisses truly are the best."

I reward him with another kiss and we both savor it.

As we wait for everyone to arrive for the meeting, we try to distract ourselves playing with our children. We find ourselves laughing easily, just enjoying our time as a family.

Eventually the room fills up as the meeting begins.

"Thank you all for coming," Haymitch starts. "This is the last time we'll meet before we commit to this. First, we need to discuss exactly how this will happen, and everyone's roles and places."

There are nods and grunts of agreement around the circle.

"The Mellarks are due in Command after lunch in the early afternoon. That's when we make our move. We'll overpower here with overwhelming force and remove her forcibly from power. We'll try our best to avoid bloodshed, but we shouldn't be hesitant to defend ourselves or our mission."

"My men and I will flank and envelop, like we spoke about yesterday," General Quentin reiterates. "We can take the lead on taking them into custody and guarding them if you want."

"That would be great," I answer for us. "At that point, we need to start revealing why we're staging a coup, show everyone the evidence we've gathered, and formally take over the government."

"Everyone in this room, save Beetee and Wiress, will be in Command at this point. We will all be armed. Before you leave, please come to myself or the Mellarks to retrieve your weapon and ammunition. Don't let anyone know you have it," Haymitch adds.

"If all goes according to plan," Peeta interjects, "by this point we'll be ready to introduce Haymitch as the new president. You're okay with this, right?" He asks Haymitch pointedly.

Everyone eagerly awaits Haymitch's answer.

"Yes," he finally nods. "You all believe in me, so you must see something that makes you think I'm the man for the job. I won't let you down."

"Good," I smile at him. "Then comes the point where we form a battlefield Tribunal to try Coin on charges of treason, attempted murder, etc."

"Then I kill her," Johanna declares emotionlessly.

"Yes, then you kill her," I confirm quietly. "We all need to remember that this entire thing is going to be aired live for the whole District and Panem. If we don't do a good enough job convincing everyone of Coin's guilt it could easily backfire, and we'll be dealing with our own coup."

"We'll just have to be convincing then," Finnick remarks.

"What about the twins?" Annie asks, slightly starting to panic.

"My sister, my mom, my in-laws, and my brothers-in-law will be here with them. We'll make sure they're all armed, the doors are locked, and they know to not open them for anyone but us when we give them the password that tells them we're safe and not under duress. Beetee, is there a way for you to keep an eye on them during all this?"

"Sure," Beetee says with confidence. "I'll just set up a couple quick cameras and I can update you and Peeta through your earpieces."

"Thank you," I exhale. "That will give us at least a semblance of peace of mind."

"We recommend you all get your families to a safe place as well," Peeta tells the group. "The last thing we want is someone taking revenge out on any of them because of us."

Everyone nods in understanding and begins to think about how to make sure their families are safe. Finnick and Annie agree quickly to taking in Grayson, Annabel, and their families to protect them along with the O'Dair's extended family. Johanna volunteers to get the Hawthornes to safety.

The meeting wraps up after we make sure nobody has any more questions or concerns. As they start to file out, Peeta, Haymitch and I issue them their weapons, mostly pistols. Johanna gets the gun Francis tried to kill Peeta with, the gun that belongs to Coin. Poetic justice. Beetee hands out the earpieces and instructs everyone how to activate them when the time comes.

Soon it's lunchtime, and again Peeta goes alone to the cafeteria to retrieve food for us. I just really don't feel like going anywhere, rather I want to spend as much time as possible alone with my family.

Lunch is quite a somber affair and we don't speak much. We hold hands the entire time though.

There's a knock at the door when we're finishing up, and I get up to see who it is.

I swing the door open and see that it's Prim, my mom, and Peeta's family.

"Hey, come on in," I open the door wider to allow them entry. "Thank you all so much for coming."

We motion them to take a seat in the living room and I sit back down next to Peeta, leaning into him as he wraps his arm around me. The twins are sleeping soundly in their cribs for now.

"Does everyone understand what's going to happen today?" Peeta aks. They nod.

"We can't stress the importance of your mission enough," I continue. "Ours is also important, but we've been trained for this. Peeta and I are trusting you with keeping the most important things in our life safe. We know you will all do your utmost to make sure they're protected. We're so very grateful for having such a wonderful family."

"I'd die before I let anyone hurt them," Peeta's mom says seriously. I don't see a trace of humor or anything other than complete seriousness and dedication.

"I'd tell you not to worry," my mom tells us, "but I know you're going to anyways." I smile and we all chuckle a bit.

Once we make sure they understand everything, and even have them repeat our instructions back to us word for word, we relax a bit and chat as one big family.

Eventually, Peeta leans over and whispers in my ear.

"It's time," he laments. "Let's go say bye to the kids."

I nod reluctantly and we stand up. Everyone knows what we're doing and where we're going, so none of them utters a word.

Peeta closes the door behind us once we're in the twins' room to give us some privacy.

He reaches down and scoops Josh up into his arms.

"You be good while mommy and daddy are gone, you hear?" He grins. "Help keep your sister in line. She takes after mommy too much," he smiles at me as I shake my head. "We'll be back before you know it son, I promise. We love you very much."

Peeta kisses him gently and transfers him to me.

"Oh my baby boy," I sob looking down at his big grey eyes. It sometimes feels like looking straight into a mirror. "Mommy loves you so much. We're going to do everything we can to get back to you and your sister. I promise. Be good for your auntie, uncles, grandmas and grandpa okay? I know you will, because you're my special little boy. I love you baby, I love you so much."

I kiss his forehead then his lips, a couple tears falling from my face onto his cheeks. Peeta gently wipes them away with his thumb. Knowing I'd struggle doing it myself, he wordlessly lifts Josh out of my arms and tucks him back into his crib. We stare down at him for a few quiet moments until we move across the room to his sister.

Again, Peeta scoops up the infant. She's happily ensconced in her daddy's arm, playing with his wedding ring curiously. I always get emotional seeing Peeta interact with his daughter. Our daughter.

"You're so beautiful," he whispers to her. "You're just like your mommy. Perfect in every way. Even when you give me a hard time, because that just reminds me even more of your mother." He chuckles and I mock-scowl at him then give him a small, sad smile. "We have to leave you for a little while, but we'll never stop thinking about you and your brother until we get back. We won't be long, we promise. I love you so very much my precious baby girl."

He nuzzles her nose-to-nose, and she smiles big. He gives her a sweet kiss on the lips before he hands her over to me.

"This is so hard," I say to nobody in particular. Peeta sighs quietly and wraps his arms around my waist, bringing me close to him. I silently thank him. "I know we're only leaving them for a little bit, but it's still tearing me up."

"They know how much we love them," Peeta quietly assures me.

"I hope so," I reply before turning my gaze to the little girl in my arms. "Do you Eve? Do you even have any idea how much your daddy and I love you and your brother? I sincerely hope that one day you'll tell me that you understand why we had to do all of these things when you were young. I pray that you'll see in time that we did everything we did out of love for you two. The _only _thing your father and I care about is keeping you safe, happy, protected. Because no matter how bad of a day I have, when you smile at me, my world is never better. Your daddy has the same effect, doesn't he? I've seen how you look at him baby girl. I know. He's pretty amazing, huh? Anyways, be good while we're gone. When we get back we'll all snuggle as a family. I promise. Maybe we'll even take another bath, would you like that?" I tickle her and she giggles and smiles, gazing up at me with those huge, intoxicating blue eyes of her father. I bend down and kiss her forehead, both her cheeks, and finally her lips, tears again streaking down my own face.

Peeta again reaches over and lifts her out of my arms, and I watch intently as he carefully tucks her back in. When he's finished, he returns to my side and wraps me up tight in his arms. I rest my head on his chest as I feel him kiss the top of it.

We have a couple minutes before we really have to go, so we spend it silently watching over our children. I try to remember exactly what they look like right now. I know they won't be babies forever. They'll grow up, and I'll miss the time when I could hold them against me.

Regretfully, Peeta starts gently tugging me towards the door. I break his grasp and dart back over to their cribs, needing to see them and kiss them one last time. He waits patiently by the door.

"Sorry," I mumble when I return to him.

"Don't be," he takes me in his arms. "I'm going to miss them as much as you."

I nod and he opens the door, leading me into the living room where our family awaits us.

The goodbyes get really emotional, and I can see in their eyes they're fearful it's the last time they'll ever see us alive. There's really nothing we can say to assuage their fears, but we try nonetheless.

The last thing we do before we leave is make sure, one last time, they know exactly what to do and what the passwords are, both for safe and distress. Once we're more than satisfied, we head to the door.

I resist the urge to run back into the twins' bedroom and refuse to leave, knowing how important our roles are. I can't let the team down, they're all risking their lives too. They have their own families that are worrying about them, waiting anxiously for them to return.

We look back one last time at the family, and they wave sadly to us. We whisper our last farewell and step out into the hallway.

"Before we go anywhere," Peeta stops me outside the door, "I want you to know, whatever happens today, I love you."

"I love you too," I bury my face in his neck. "Tell me everything's going to be okay," I beg.

"Everything's going to be okay," he dutifully replies. "I promise."

"You promised," I iterate. "You never break your promises to me. Don't start today."

"I won't," he tells me with steel in his voice. "Come on, let's get going. We have some work to do honey."

"That bitch has no idea what's about to hit her," I grin a bit as he takes my hand in his. "I'm going to take a few shots of my own before Jo puts a bullet in her."

"God you're sexy when you talk like that," he whispers in my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Down boy," I admonish him. "After we've completed our mission, you can take me back to our room and do unspeakable things to me, okay?"

"Promise?"

"You bet your ass I promise. I know how wet I'm going to be after I see you taking charge, holding your gun, being all confident."

"Kat, you can't do that to me," he complains. "I can't go in there with a raging erection."

I just shrug indifferently.

"Why not? Maybe then all the women in this country will know just how lucky of a girl I am," I smirk and pinch his butt.

"So not fair," he mutters.

"I have no intention of being fair," I explain. "I'm the wife, remember?"

"I remember. I could never forget that. You very vocally remind me every time we're in bed together."

"Just making sure you understand who you belong to," I grin again.

"Katniss, I've belong to you since we were five," he says seriously.

"Great," it's my turn to mutter, "now you've got me all hot and bothered right before we go in there."

"Turn about is fair play honey."

Just then, we turn a corner, and find ourselves standing in front of the door to Command.

This is it.

There's no turning back now.

We're about to stage a coup-d'etat.

**A/N: So I originally planned to write the coup in this chapter, but it started to get so long that I decided to split it up. I hope you don't mind waiting until tomorrow! **

**The next chapter of 'Top Of The World' will be posted tonight. They're about to begin the summit push! Excitement abounds! Please check it out. **

**Thanks as always for reading and reviewing! I'm blown away by the constant positive response I get for both my stories. You guys are simply the best. **

**Until next time…**


	30. Coup D'Etat

We take a collective deep breath. This is it.

We're clutching onto each other's hands harder than ever before, including our Tribute Parade. I take a glance up at my husband and he senses it, turning to face me.

"Ready?" He asks quietly.

"No matter what happens in there, we're doing the right thing," I whisper. He nods. "There's nobody else I'd rather have by my side."

He gives me a small smile and we kiss one more time before we turn to enter. It's a kiss full of emotions. A little desperation, longing, hope, love of course, a tiny bit of fear, and a whole lot of reassurance.

Peeta reaches out and opens the door wide so we can walk in together. We turn our expressions into masks, trying our hardest to hide our true intentions from everyone in the room.

"Sit down," Coin orders, pointing to two open seats.

"Thank you ma'am," Peeta says graciously as he pulls my chair out for me.

She starts the meeting. We begin discussing some of the recent battles against the Capitol. I'm happy to find out we're doing quite well, methodically pushing their troops closer and closer to the Capitol.

"Have we begun preparations for the siege of the city?" Coin asks the military present.

"Yes, ma'am," one of her most loyal generals answers. "We'll be able to effectively cut them off, and at that point we can either wait until they run out of supplies or engage them directly."

"Very well," Coin nods.

Just then, my earpiece crackles to life.

"Katniss, Peeta, don't acknowledge my voice in any way," Beetee says calmly. "Everyone's in place and ready. We have audio and video. Haymitch?"

"Get ready kids," Haymitch's voice comes through. "The second you hear the doors open, draw down and back up towards us."

"Mr. and Mrs. Mellark," Coin gets our attention. "It's about time you make another Propo." That's true, but she has no idea it's going to be talking about her death and the new government. "You will reaffirm your allegiance to me, in order to solidify my role as leader of all the Districts we've freed." I almost cringe when she says 'freed'. They're not free as long as she's in power.

"Good luck with that," I respond sarcastically.

Haymitch, always a master of timing, chooses that exact moment to initiate the coup.

Peeta and I hear the doors at the same time. We spring to our feet, simultaneously drawing our side arms. We cover one another as we tactically retreat to where the rest of the Victors have entered the room. We end up all in a line, guns pointed at Coin and the rest of the people present.

"What is the meaning of this?" She snaps angrily.

"The people of Panem deserve better than you," I answer evenly. "We won't let you turn this government into just another Capitol."

She sneers, her loyal officers gravitating towards her. Most of them are armed with pistols, but seeing as how we are already aiming at their heads, they don't draw.

"Slowly remove your weapons, unload them, and slide them towards us on the floor," I order.

"Make us," Coin smugly replies.

"My pleasure," General Quentin pipes up from behind her.

Coin and her goons turn their heads and see Quentin with about twenty heavily armed soldiers. They've successfully flanked and surprised Coin. Now she's surrounded and has really no hope of success.

"I gave you an order," I yell at Coin.

"You'll pay for this. All of you. This is treason," she says as they all disarm.

"You want to talk about treason?" I laugh, as does most everyone else on our side. "You committed treason long before today, Alma. Do you want to tell them or should we just wait for the Tribunal?"

"What Tribunal?" She asks.

"The one we're about to convene," Peeta answers for us. "You're being summarily court-martialed."

"On what charges?"

"You'll see," Haymitch smirks.

"General, please take them into custody," I request.

"Yes ma'am," he crisply salutes.

Quentin and his men go about searching them then handcuffing them with flex cuffs behind their backs. They make them all sit down on the floor.

"Thank you," I nod to the soldiers.

"I'll be out of here in a matter of minutes," Coin pompously predicts. "The military won't allow this. When they find out they'll rescue me."

"Actually, they won't," Quentin comes around in front of her, kneeling down to talk at her level. "You've trained the army well. They follow orders without question. Right now, they've been ordered to stand down and await further instructions from me."

She spits in his face and he just calmly wipes it off.

"This has been a long time coming, Coin," he tells her seriously. "You've seriously pissed off the wrong people." He turns to look at us and grins.

"You officers have a choice," I announce as I walk up to them. "You can either stand by Coin, be court-martialed, and suffer the consequences, or you can join us, no hard feelings. We'd love to have you, really," I joke. "You're all good officers who have just been manipulated by her."

Most of them indicate they want a second chance. We separate them but keep them cuffed for now. They still need to prove they're really on our side before we begin trusting them.

Coin now sits with three officers, her most loyal ones. They're all defiantly glaring at me.

"We will now convene the Tribunal," Haymitch declares. "It will consist of three people. I will be representing the new government. General Quentin will be representing the military. Katniss Mellark will be representing the people."

I'm momentarily surprised, as I didn't expect to be a member of the Tribunal. We hadn't really talked about it much, leaving the decision up to Haymitch.

The three of us take seats on one side of a large conference table. The soldiers haul up the defendants and roughly sit them down opposite us.

"Mrs. Mellark, if you would read the charges please," Haymitch begins. I give him a smile, knowing that he knew I'd get a kick out of this.

"Yes sir," I nod, picking up the paper that has their charges listed. "Alma Coin, you are hereby charged with treason, attempted murder, sedition, unlawful distribution of a firearm, inciting murder and mayhem, espionage, conspiracy, being an accomplice to attempted murder, acting against the welfare of the citizens, and violation of the Constitution. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty," she spits. I mark it down.

"You three gentlemen," I look to either side of her, "are hereby charged with aiding and abetting, acting against the welfare of the citizens, and violation of the Constitution. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty," they all reply together. I mark it down.

"Very well. Let us begin," Haymitch nods. Everyone else in the room quiets down considerably, taking seats to watch. I'm acutely aware this is currently being broadcast to everyone in 13 and across the country, even Snow.

"We're on a three-second delay," Beetee tells us through our earpieces. "I've commandeered every screen possible. Katniss, Peeta, your children are safe and sound. They're currently playing with Primrose, Rye and Nan in your bedroom."

"Thank you," I tell him, no longer needing to hide the fact that we're using the earpieces. Peeta also thanks him.

"First we will present the evidence we have gathered," Haymitch continues. "Beetee, if you would be so kind as to start the presentation?"

A huge screen lowers behind the three of us. After a second, it comes to life. On it, a continuous loop showing Coin entering Francis' quarters, leaving the gun and note, then leaving down the hall plays. Every time the part where her face is visible is shown, the screen zooms in on it so there can be no mistaking who it is.

"This is footage of Alma Coin entering the quarters of Francis Burton. She gave him her personal firearm and left him a note ordering him to murder Peeta Mellark the next day at the Mellark's Anniversary party. Beetee, please blow up the note for everyone to read."

Beetee quickly complies and the note fills the screen. Coin looks like she's starting to understand that we're really not fooling around. We have rock solid evidence.

"Anyone could have written that," one of her generals yells.

"True," I concede. "Beetee?"

The screen is split in half. On the left side is the signature she left on the note. On the right side is the contract she signed with Peeta and me. The signatures on both sides are enlarged then superimposed over each other. They're a perfect match.

"As you can see, this signature is confirmed to be that of Alma Coin. We have also been able to determine that the gun Francis used to attempt murdering my husband came directly from Coin's own safe."

The screen switches to the next piece of evidence. The gun is shown, then the reconstructed serial numbers appear. Once again it goes to a split-screen, the serial numbers on one side and the firearm registry on the other. Coin's name is highlighted and the numbers are placed next to one another, proving beyond doubt that it was her weapon.

"I personally interrogated Francis Burton after the incident," I explain. "I do not know why he didn't reveal the identity of his accomplice, since we now know that he knew. However, he did confess to me that he and his accomplice had provided the Capitol with enough confidential information that they were able to shoot down a hovercraft carrying most of the Victors. He also went on to relay that the two of them had been passing intelligence to the Capitol for some time, providing them with estimates of the size of the army, troop movements, covert missions, and other confidential information. This easily constitutes treason, multiple counts of attempted murder, and many other crimes Alma Coin has been charged with."

"You're lying. He never said any of that," Coin defiantly states.

"On the contrary," I grin. "We have footage of the entire confession."

Francis' hospital room fills the screen, and I'm visible sitting in a chair near him. I'm glad Beetee fast-forwarded to past the part where I had to pretend to love him, even though it's still obvious I'm manipulating him to perfection. We all listen as he confesses everything, helping to hammer the nail in the coffin of Coin.

"Now, as to the crimes you three officers have committed," Haymitch looks to them, "by blindly following Alma Coin you have betrayed not only your oath to protect this District, but the people as well. We understand that she was your commander-in-chief and as soldiers, you follow orders. However, there is a point at which your moral compasses should have alerted you to her treachery and the fact she was turning this District into a dictatorship. Either you don't possess moral compasses, or you chose to ignore them. For that, you stand today to answer for your crimes. What do you have to say for yourselves?"

"This Tribunal has no authority," one of them snorts. "I refuse to recognize the legitimacy of this court-martial."

The other two voice their agreement. I roll my eyes.

"Think what you want," I tell them sternly. "The fact remains that you're the ones in handcuffs and we're the ones with the guns. You acted without regard for the citizens of this country, while we are acting to give the power back to the people. When we win this war, and we will, the people, not men like you, will decide how to govern themselves."

There's actually applause when I finish speaking from around the room. My gaze catches Peeta's, and the look of pride on his face causes me to smile wide at him as we mouth 'I love you' to each other.

"If you have nothing else to say," Haymitch gives them one last chance. "We will quickly deliberate to render your verdicts." They stay stoically silent.

Haymitch, Quentin and I stand up and huddle back a few feet from the table. It takes us almost no time at all to come to a unanimous decision. We sit back down.

"The Tribunal has reached a verdict," Haymitch announces. "You are hereby found guilty of the heinous crimes you've been accused of. You are sentenced to life in prison, however, in one week's time, there will be a public referendum. The people will decide if you are to be executed or remain behind bars for the rest of your natural lives. This vote will be decided by the citizens of 13, as well as the Districts we have liberated. You are herby stripped of your ranks and dishonorably discharged."

Their shoulders slump and they bow their heads, I hope in shame.

"Now on to Alma Coin," Haymitch goes on. "Do you wish to say anything before we deliberate?" He asks her.

She's silent for a few moments, seething at us, before she speaks.

"I'm going to kill all of you. I'm going to kill your families. Your loved ones. Your children," she looks directly at me. "Be assured of this. You will answer for what you've done here today."

"So you refuse to confess to your crimes, even given the evidence we've shown you?" I ask.

She spits in my direction.

"I should've killed you when I had the chance," she sneers at me.

"You could've tried. You would have failed. You tried to murder my friends, but every single one of them is alive and well. You tried to murder my husband, but your assassin failed miserably. You are a despicable person, Coin. All of us came to 13 to help the rebellion with our whole hearts. We fought, bled, and killed for you. And how do you repay us? You try to murder us in cold blood. Whatever sentence we give you, it won't even come close to atoning for your sins."

The room is deathly silent after I speak. You could hear a pin drop. Coin and I are staring each other down, both of us unwilling to waver.

"If there's nothing else you wish to say, we will decide your verdict," Haymitch breaks the silence.

Coin just sticks her nose up at us, so we stand up again to talk amongst ourselves.

It takes us even less time to decide her verdict, considering it was already pre-determined.

We sit back down and the tension builds as everyone waits with baited breath. Haymitch motions to me, letting me read the verdict and the sentence. I nod my thanks.

"Alma Coin," I begin, making eye contact with her again, "you are hereby found guilty of every charge leveled against you. You have disgraced yourself and the uniform you wear. You do not deserve the accolades and praise you have been afforded. You brought this upon yourself, no one else. You are hereby stripped of all ranks, impeached, dishonorably discharged, and labeled a traitor."

I pause, letting her sweat it out a little more before I reveal her sentence to the world. I try to not think about the fact that most of the country is watching me at this very moment, and concentrate on my task. The sooner we wrap all this up, the sooner Peeta and I get back to our kids.

"Alma Coin, you have been found guilty, and you are hereby sentenced….to death."

Her eyes widen in surprise. I guess she thought she'd get life like her goons and a referendum as well. Sorry, that's not happening.

"The sentence is to be carried out immediately. Guards, please escort the convict to the execution chamber. You three will witness her execution then begin your prison sentences," I point at the three convicted former officers.

Quentin and three of his lieutenants step up behind them. They gag the three men. Quentin gags Coin and puts a black bag over her head. They stand them up and begin leading them out of the room, all four of them surrounded by armed guards.

"Before we conduct the execution, I would like to speak to you directly," I look into where I know one of the cameras is. Beetee, as good as he is, is most certainly focusing in on me right now.

Peeta comes to my side as I stand up and takes my hand.

"The people of Panem are resilient," I start. "We will continue fighting to free everyone from the clutches of Snow and the Capitol. The only thing that has changed today is the leadership and the way this District, and one day the country, will be run. Gone are the days of limited personal freedoms. Gone are the days of the president holding absolute power and authority. Gone are the days of zero accountability of the actions of the government and the military."

"We are aware that today may come as a shock to many of you," Peeta adds. "But we felt it necessary to act immediately. We could not allow Coin the opportunity to further hamper the war effort or pass more intelligence onto Snow and the Capitol. The transition will be smooth and for now, everyone will remain in their current jobs and postings, until a full evaluation can be conducted. We thank you for your patience and understanding."

"The last thing we must do before we close the last chapter on the reign of Alma Coin is appoint a new president. In the future, the people will have the opportunity to choose their leader through voting. But for now, in the middle of a war, we can't afford to wait. Therefore, everyone in this room has come together and decided who will be best to lead us forward. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my absolute pleasure to introduce to you, one of my closest friends and greatest mentors, the new president, Haymitch Abernathy."

Peeta and I hug Haymitch as he joins us, the rest of the room exploding in applause and cheering. Eventually it quiets down.

"I thank everyone for their faith in me. I will do my absolute best to make decisions with every single citizen in mind. I look forward to the opportunity to lead us in a different, better direction," Haymitch speaks to the people for the first time as their newly appointed leader.

"The execution chamber is ready," Beetee says through our ears after the applause dies down again. "As you take Coin down there, I'll follow using the cameras and broadcast every second of it."

"Now we will move to the execution chamber," I announce. "It is regrettable that we must, but the guilt of Alma Coin is not in dispute. Being found guilty on even one of her charges warrants the death penalty. While it is never pleasant to take a life, it is my firm belief that this will help us move on as a whole, open a new chapter, one filled with change for the better and hope for the future."

With that, we start filing out of Command to make our way to where Coin will be executed. We decided to use the same room that Francis was executed in. Fitting, I think.

Peeta and I walk together, tightly holding hands. Eventually I wrap my arms around his arm and lean into him, needing to feel his presence close to me.

"You did great," he whispers and kisses the top of my head. "You're a natural leader."

"I was so nervous," I admit with a smile. "I kept looking at you to calm down."

"I noticed," he laughs. "I'm glad I could help."

"Thanks baby," I roll up his sleeve a bit and kiss his upper arm gently.

It doesn't take long at all to reach our destination. The only thing that took a while was getting everybody on the elevators.

The viewing room fills up, the three convicted men front and center. Suddenly I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn and see Johanna.

"Hey," I say, surprised. "Shouldn't you be getting in there soon?" I nod towards the execution chamber.

"Yeah," she nods back. Then she nervously looks at her feet. I'm shocked. I think the only other time I've seen her like this is the first time she held the twins. "Um, would it be okay if, um, you came in with me?" She asks meekly.

I turn to Peeta and he tells me with his eyes it's my decision. Johanna is one of my best friends, and if she needs my support through this, I'm certainly going to do everything I can to help her.

"Of course Jo," I gently grasp her arm. She looks up at me. "Thank you for doing this again. You're a great friend."

"It's not the killing part I'm nervous about," she admits quietly. "It's the fact that the whole country's going to see it."

I nod knowingly.

"If they don't understand why we're doing this, we'll just have to try harder," I assure her. "You're making a sacrifice for us, and we won't forget it. I promise."

I take a chance and pull her in for a hug. She hesitates for a moment, then tightly wraps her arm around me, resting her forehead on my shoulder.

"Come on," I whisper. "Let's get this over with. Afterwards, why don't you come with Peeta and me and see the twins?"

"I'd really like that," she tells me as we part and turn to the door.

"I'll be right back," I say to Peeta, leaning up and giving him a quick kiss.

Johanna and I go into the hallway, and Coin is there, her head still shrouded, surrounded by the guards and led by Quentin.

"Are we ready?" He asks.

Johanna takes out the pistol she's going to use, ejects the magazine, makes sure it's loaded, then racks the slide. Coin jumps at the sound.

"Ready," she confirms.

Quentin leads Coin into the chamber, telling his men to remain in the hall. We follow him in.

It looks like I remember, except the gallows are gone. There's just simply an 'X' marked in tape in the middle of the room. Quentin leads Coin to it, forces her to her knees right on the 'X', and removes the bag over her head. It take a moment for her eyes to adjust, then she starts trying to talk to us, her voice completely muffled by her gag.

"Sorry, can't hear you," I joke unapologetically. Johanna chuckles.

Quentin leans down and removes her gag momentarily.

"Any last words?" He asks.

"Fuck you," she spits.

He replaces the gag.

"Now that wasn't very nice," he remarks with a smirk.

He comes around to stand next to us.

"Look her in the eye," he quietly tells Johanna. "Make the last thing she ever sees the barrel of that gun."

Johanna nods in understanding.

"Beetee are we set?" I ask quickly.

"We're ready," he confirms. "We're broadcasting and I've issued a warning that this will be graphic."

"Good," I respond. Then I turn to Jo. "We're ready."

Johanna takes a deep breath and lets it out. She takes two steps toward Coin. Usually, in this situation, she would be executed from behind. But she doesn't deserve even that much respect. No, she's going to see it coming we decided.

"Recognize this?" Jo holds up the pistol. "You tried to kill one of my best friends using this. Your boy ended up shooting Katniss instead. Now, it's going to be used to carry out your sentence."

She levels the pistol and points it right between Coin's eyes. Coin tries to remain defiant, but I can start to see fear creeping into her eyes, then resignation.

"This is for everyone you've betrayed," Johanna whispers.

A shot rings out, echoing throughout the room. A bullet hole appears right between her eyes, and she slumps forward, dead. Quentin walks up and pushes on her shoulder with his boot, causing her to fall down backwards onto her back. Johanna steps up and puts a bullet into her heart for good measure.

The door opens up and a doctor enters. He quickly calls it, giving the time of death.

Jo is still holding the pistol out in front of her, slightly shaking. I gently grasp it, lowering her arm.

"It's over," I tell her softly. "You did great. It's all over now Jo."

She finally snaps back, and turns to look at me.

"We did it," she says. "We actually did it. We succeeded."

"Damn right we did," I grin. "Now we can make this government serve the people, not the other way around."

I grab Johanna's hand, and she surprises me by latching on as we walk out, together. Quentin stays to help move the body. She'll be cremated, her ashes spread to avoid anyone creating some kind of shrine or something to her body.

Peeta meets us in the hall, everyone else behind him. He quickly envelops Jo in a big bear hug while everyone congratulates her on a job well done.

Haymitch heads back up to Command with Quentin to start the government's transition. I have a feeling now we'll be seeing less of him. While that saddens me, I know he's absolutely the right man for the job.

He has one surprise for us, though, before he leaves. He quiets us all down.

"Good job today," he lauds. "Everyone did their parts, and we avoided violence. Now we have to focus on winning this war. With that in mind, all of you are promoted to general."

All our jaws drop. Us? Generals? I still wasn't even used to be a Colonel. Haymitch grins at our reaction.

"That's not all," he reveals. "Katniss, Peeta, you two have been instrumental in everything that's occurred. You and your family have made sacrifices nobody could rightly ask of you. You have proven your loyalty to justice and your abilities as military commanders. Therefore, you two are now the generals-in-chief of the army. You will remain here, in 13, and help me run the war."

"What?" I blurt out. "Huh?"

Everyone laughs at the look on mine and Peeta's faces.

"Don't act so surprised," Haymitch chuckles. "You guys earned it."

"But what about everyone else?" Peeta asks. "They all fought too. They risked their lives."

"Finnick?" Haymitch prompts. Finnick stands next to him.

"We all decided this," he explains. "We took a vote and it was unanimous. You two are the right people to lead us. You're going to be vital to the war, but you'll still get to go home to your kids every night. Actually I wouldn't be surprised if you just took them with you everywhere, but you can pretty much do whatever you want now." Everyone laughs.

"Finnick, my wife already does whatever she wants," Peeta smiles. I mock-scowl at him, then give him a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you all," I speak for both of us. "This is truly an honor. We won't let you down."

"We know," Johanna nods. "We wouldn't have asked you to do it unless we were positive you could succeed."

We stand around for a few more minutes, and Haymitch and Quentin finally depart. We all agree to meet up for dinner in a few hours, and have a little celebration tonight. We need to get back to work soon. There's a lot to be done, we conclude.

We go our separate ways, Johanna walking with Peeta and me. Finnick and Annie are also with us, heading back to their place.

"Are you okay?" I ask Jo as we board the elevator.

"I'll be fine," she honestly answers. "I've just never killed anyone like that before."

I nod sadly.

"Don't you dare thank me again," she grins when I open my mouth to do just that. "I was glad to do it for you."

Soon we're standing at the door to our quarters.

I knock, and a few seconds later I hear Nan's voice on the other side.

"Who is it?"

"It's us," I reply.

"What's the password?"

"Sunset," I give him the password that tells them everything is fine, everyone's safe and alive.

The door swings open and we enter the living room, everyone present congratulating us. I quickly notice Prim and the twins are missing though. My mom picks up easily on my distress.

"They're in your bedroom," she quietly informs me.

I grab Peeta's hand and tug him towards the door to our room. I open it slowly, harshly telling everyone to be quiet.

The scene that meets us makes me want to cry. Actually, I'm pretty sure I'm about to.

Prim is lying on our bed, on her side. She has an arm protectively wrapped around the twins, who are fast asleep just like their aunt. All three of them have small, content smiles on their faces.

"Oh Peeta," I whisper as he moves behind me and wraps his arms around me. "Our babies."

Peeta reaches behind him and closes the door, not before he quietly tells Jo that she can wait if she wants, but we need some time as a family. She understands completely, and tells us she's going to hang out with our family in the living room. I feel kind of bad that I told her to come, but the moment I saw my babies I wanted them all to myself.

We carefully, silently, move towards the bed. We take off our thigh holsters and our boots. Peeta motions for me to go first, and I lie on my side facing Prim, on the other side of the kids. Peeta slides in behind me. His arm goes around me and lays on top of the arm I've already placed over Prim's. The twins rustle a little in their sleep, and Eve, who's the closest to me, turns a little so her face is mere centimeters from mine. I kiss her gently.

Peeta takes out my braid and softly kisses my neck before giving me a kiss on the cheek.

"I love you," he whispers in my ear.

"I love you too," I whisper, staring at our daughter and son.

We fall asleep just like that, Prim, Peeta and I protecting the twins.

**A/N: So Coin is dead. She's really dead. She has two bullets in her, she's not coming back. Haymitch is now the president. Katniss and Peeta are now in charge of the army, at least at the Command level. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out, no?**

**We're entering what I consider the third, and final, act in 'The Truth Revealed'. Due to the popularity this story and its prequel, 'It Was A Lie' have received, I have decided to make it a trilogy. The third story will consist of them going home and trying to rebuild their lives. I'm really looking forward to it, and I wouldn't be able to do it if it weren't for all of you. So thank you. Truly. **

**Thanks as always for reading and reviewing! The next chapter of 'Top Of The World' will likely be up later this evening. **


	31. The New District 13

_**Fair Warning: In this chapter the Mellarks engage in some wild, hot, graphic post-Coup sex. You've been notified. **_

My eyes slowly come back to life, cracking open just a slit. We're all in the same positions we fell asleep in. The first things I see are Eve's piercing blue eyes staring at me. When she sees I'm up she smiles.

"Hey sweetie," I whisper and kiss her nose. She scrunches up her face. "Let's lie here until your daddy, brother, and auntie wake up okay?"

I gently wrap my arm around her and pull her towards me. She nestles into my chest, resting her head right above my breasts. I kiss the top of her head, right on her hair that is the same shade as mine. Nobody who knows Peeta and me could ever deny the twins are ours. Both of them have traits from both of us.

Eve starts playing with my wedding ring like she loves to. She twists it around my finger, marveling at how shiny it is. I smile at the sight of the look of concentration on her face. It's too adorable.

I feel Peeta rustling behind me, and his grip on my waist tightens a bit. I can feel his breaths on the back of my neck, so I know he's still fast asleep, but they're becoming labored. He's either having a dream or a nightmare. I pray it's the former.

The next person to wake is Prim. She smiles wide when she sees Peeta and me in the bed.

"Thank you Prim," I whisper.

"It was nothing," she softly caresses Josh's sleeping face. "I'm so proud of you Katniss. You were amazing."

"I was really scared I was going to mess it up," I admit with a small grin. "But I would look at Peeta and I knew everything was going to be okay."

"I've never seen anybody as dedicated to their family as Peeta is," she observes.

"I know," I nod. Then I look down at Eve on my chest. "We're very lucky."

"Please, no," I hear Peeta whimper behind me. "Please, stop. I'll do anything you want. Just don't hurt my family."

From the tone of his voice it becomes obvious he's in the middle of a nightmare.

"Baby, go snuggle with your aunt Prim," I quickly whisper to Eve as Prim reaches over to grab her. She pulls Josh close to her as well.

I turn in Peeta's arms so I'm facing him. His face is contorted in emotional pain. I have to wake him up from whatever he's seeing.

I softly kiss his forehead.

"Peeta honey wake up," I say quietly. Nothing.

"Baby I need you to wake up," I say a little louder, firmly. "Come back to me."

That phrase works, and he begins his journey back to consciousness.

"There you are," I whisper, relieved. I bend down and kiss him gently.

"Hey honey," he smiles sadly.

"What was it?" I ask pointedly. No need to explain any further, he knows.

He sighs heavily, turmoil swirling in his eyes.

"It was horrible," he says painfully. "Snow captured us. He tortured me in front of you and the kids."

"Oh Peeta," I half-sob, burying my face into his neck, kissing it. "That's never going to happen."

"I know," he eventually tells me. "It was just a stupid nightmare."

"Exactly," I nod. "Forget about it, okay?"

He nods.

I lie back down next to him and we both turn to look at Prim and the twins. She has Eve in her arms, holding her up to her delight.

"She really loves her aunt," Peeta smiles.

"It's hard to not love Prim," I grin. She blushes without looking at us.

"Josh is still zonked out, huh?" He reaches around me and smoothes down his son's bright blonde hair. I was so incredibly happy when it became obvious he inherited Peeta's hair. My blonde boys. Oh how I love to run my fingers through their curly locks.

"He takes after his daddy," I declare. "You two could sleep through anything."

"It definitely helps sometimes," Peeta replies.

"Yeah but it sucks for your wife who has to wake her boys up constantly," I act annoyed.

"That's why we love you mommy, right Josh?" Josh's eyes are still closed so he's unable to answer his father. "If he was awake he'd agree with me."

All of us laugh quietly.

"Let's get up," I suggest. "The twins probably need to be fed and changed."

"Okay," Peeta says as he begins rising. Prim nods and stands up with Eve in her arms.

I scoop Josh up off the bed and put my feet on the carpeted floor. I follow Peeta and Prim out the door.

Johanna is still here, as well as the rest of the family. They all smile when they see us.

"Jo, want to help?" I ask.

"Sure," she nods, getting up to go with me to the twin's room.

By the time we're in their room, Josh has started to wake up. He opens his eyes and looks up at me.

"Hi there baby boy," I coo, tickling his stomach. He giggles and smiles. "You're so ticklish. I might just have to keep tickling you." I smile and make him even happier.

I bring him up and give him a kiss, then hand him off to Jo.

"Here, you can feed and change him Jo."

She happily receives her nephew and Peeta gives her and Prim a bottle each. Prim sits in the rocking chair and Jo slowly paces the room while the twins eat contently. Peeta and I stand in the doorway watching, his arms wrapped around me from behind, my head laid back on his shoulder.

"They'll never want for love." He's right. They're constantly surrounded by people who absolutely, without a doubt, love them.

When they're done with their meal, Jo and Prim change their diapers and put them in some clean clothes. They're both pros and haven't had to ask a question about anything since about a week after they were born.

We walk back into the living room and sit down, with me predictably sliding onto Peeta's lap once he's seated.

"Thanks everyone," Peeta looks around the room. "We really appreciate all your help."

"We were happy to do it," his mom smiles. Everyone else voices their agreement.

"We watched everything you guys did," my mom tells us. "It was pretty scary for a little bit but you all will always protect each other."

"So Coin's really dead?" Nan asks.

Johanna, who has Eve in her arms, snaps her head towards Nan.

"She's dead," she says evenly. "I made sure."

Nan nods, slightly intimidated by Jo. I chuckle quietly.

"We also have an announcement to make," Peeta declares. Everyone quiets down and gives us their undivided attention. "You want to tell them honey?" He squeezes me.

"Sure baby," I smile and nod, giving him a quick peck on the lips. "After the execution, Haymitch pulled all of us aside. He promoted us all to general."

Peeta, Johanna and I laugh at the looks on everyone's faces. They're stunned into silence. Peeta and I are seventeen-year-old generals.

"That's not all," I smile wide. "Apparently as a group they voted and decided to appoint Peeta and me as commanders of the army. We'll work with Haymitch daily to run the war. We never have to leave the District and we'll come home to our kids every single night."

"Wow," Peeta's dad is the first to speak. "Congratulations you two. You as well, Johanna. Or should I say Generals?

"We're still Katniss, Peeta and Johanna to our family," Peeta chuckles. "We're pretty excited about the opportunity, but we know how vital it is. We're not going to let you down."

Everyone gives us their congratulations and profusely thanks us for getting rid of Coin. After a while my in-laws, Nan, Rye, and my mom leave.

"I need to go too," Prim sadly realizes. "I'll be late for work."

"Thanks again little duck," I stand up to give her a hug. She transfers Josh into my arms as well. Peeta also stands and gives her a hug. She gives him a sweet kiss on the cheek.

"You know I'll always be here to take care of my niece and nephew," she tells us seriously. "I'll see you guys later. I love all of you."

"We love you too Prim," Peeta smiles as he opens the door for her, always a gentleman.

Johanna stays, as she has no obligations for the rest of the day. Actually, we made sure she has the next few days off, to decompress after the execution. We're all going to take it fairly easy, but we'll go to work tomorrow to aid in the government's transition. Peeta and I have a lot of work to do to familiarize ourselves with the army's protocols, placements, and a plethora of other issues. We'll have some very experienced generals, including Quentin, to help us.

I sit back on Peeta's lap and he looks over my shoulder at our son, who smiles up at his daddy. Peeta kisses my cheek then does the same to Josh when I hold him up.

A few minutes later there's a knock at the door. I get up, as I'm the closest, and prop Josh on my shoulder. I open the door with my free hand.

"Hey guys," I smile at Finnick and Annie. "Come on in." I move aside and they enter, then I shut the door.

"Hey O'Dairs," Peeta grins. "Take a seat, please."

We all greet one another and they sit down, Annie next to me making funny faces at Josh. He's giggling at his aunt.

"Hey Katniss?" She asks after a few minutes, seemingly nervous.

"Yeah?" I turn to her.

"Would it be okay if, um, maybe we could have the twins for a little while?" She blurts out quickly. "It's okay if you say no but I guess we just need a distraction today. And they always make us so happy."

I quickly look to Peeta who is smiling softly. He nods almost imperceptibly.

"Sure, Annie," I answer her. "You're welcome to take them over to your place."

"Can I come too?" Jo asks.

"Of course," Finnick nods.

Annie quickly follows me into the twin's room and I give her Josh. I grab the diaper bag and make sure there's enough supplies in it. I go to the fridge and grab a couple bottles, then hand it over to Finnick.

"When do you want us to bring them back?" Annie asks as they start to leave.

"Whenever," I shrug. "You guys can spend as much time with them as you want. It's important for them to get to know their aunts and uncles, and vice versa."

That causes the three of them to smile goofily. It really is almost unbelievable how different Johanna is around the kids. She's softer, more caring and loving. She tones down her snarkiness and is incredibly vigilant and cognizant of their safety and happiness.

Peeta and I kiss our children and tell them to be good. While we'll inevitably miss them the second they leave, we know how much this will help both the kids and the adults. Plus I know both of us aren't remotely opposed to some time alone.

Peeta shuts the door behind them and turns to lean his back on it. I'm instantly taken back to the morning after the first night I slept at Peeta's. He'd forgiven me the night before and we'd gotten together. We'd just finished dealing with his mom, and after she left, Peeta was in the same position he is now. It was the first time we told each other 'I love you'. One of the happiest memories I have.

I snap out of my daydream when Peeta loudly coughs sarcastically.

"Sorry," I grin. "I was thinking about the first time we said 'I love you'. You were standing just like that."

He beams at me and pulls me close to him, kissing the top of my head just like he did that morning.

"I still love you, you know," he jokes.

"That's good to know," I joke back. "I guess I love you too."

We laugh and revel in being close with nobody around us.

After a couple minutes Peeta lifts my chin with his finger so I'm looking up at him.

Without a word, he bends down and crashes his lips to mine. My hands go right to his face, cradling it as we deepen the kiss. I feel his hands rubbing up and down my back, then one slides under my pants and grabs my butt. I giggle into his mouth.

He turns us around so my back is against the door. I lift myself up and straddle him, engaging in the oft-practiced maneuver of wrapping my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. I immediately feel his growing erection against my thigh.

"You were so fucking hot today," he mumbles. "I love seeing you take charge like that."

"Every time I looked at you all I wanted to do was rip your clothes off," I mumble back. He smiles against my lips.

I start rubbing up against him, teasing him. He groans and I smirk. I know him too well.

"Are you going to fuck me against the front door?" I ask, feigning innocence.

"We can do this wherever you want," he answers.

"Hmm," I ponder while he peppers my neck and jaw with kisses. "The kitchen table was quite fun. We use the shower to fuck almost every day. Same with the tub. The bed is classic, but we really do that anytime. We've done the couch. Hmmm."

"If you don't decide I'm going to rip your pants off and fuck you right here," he threatens. While that doesn't sound bad at all, I'd rather not have anyone walking down the hall hear me being fucked against the door, banging into it every time he thrusts into me.

"Armchair," I tell him. He nods and turns us, walking further into the living room.

He sits in the armchair, me still straddling him. We kiss and kiss while our hands wander all over one another. Soon he's tugging at my shirt, and I raise my hands so he can pull it off. His eyes predictably bug out when he sees my breasts in my bra. I'm wearing bright red lingerie.

"Oh my god," he mutters as he begins to fondle them.

"Yeah? You like my bra?" I tease.

He just nods like a little kid and I giggle.

I reach down and grab ahold of the hem of his shirt.

"Up," I order. He just raises his hands straight up in the air and I quickly get rid of his shirt. As soon as his chest is bared I bend down and kiss all over it.

When I sit back up, it's Peeta's turn to kiss my chest. He quickly pulls my bra down, revealing my boobs. He takes my nipples in his mouth and flicks his tongue against them in succession, hardening them instantly. He lays kisses all over them and even in the hollow between them as I moan softly.

"Your boobs are so fucking awesome," he remarks with a smirk. I roll my eyes.

I'm sufficiently aroused now, and I'm sure my red panties are soaked through. I know Peeta's ready as I can still feel his raging erection through his cargos.

I give him a long kiss on the lips then stand up. He whimpers a bit but starts smiling when he realizes what I'm doing. Facing him, I slowly unbutton my pants and lower my zipper. He reaches out to pull them down but I slap his hands away.

"You just watch," I scold him.

I wiggle my hips seductively, causing my pants to fall to my ankles. I kick them off along with my boots and socks, leaving me in my bra and panties. I reach behind me and unclasp my bra, tossing it in his face when I remove it. He laughs and kisses it before throwing it over his shoulder.

I'm about to tug my panties down when he leans forward and grabs my legs.

"Unh uh," he shakes his head. "You're coming with me now."

I don't protest. He pulls me towards him and I kneel on either side of his legs. He keeps pulling me until my crotch is right in his face. I feel him softly kiss my wet folds right over my panties. He knows how much it drives me crazy.

"Somebody's soaked," he teases and continues his kissing.

"Can't help it," I exhale. "I have to wet myself if you're going to fuck me. You're just too huge."

He grins up at me. I know how it makes him feel when I tell him how big he is. He might be a selfless, humble man but this is one thing he's most certainly allowed to be egotistical about.

"Peeta," it's my turn to whimper. "Please Peeta."

He listens, and curls his fingers over the top of my panties, sliding them down as far as he can. I hop up off him, turn my back to him, and bend over as far as I can as I take them off. I smile at him when I turn my head.

I kneel in front of the chair and slide my hands up his legs. I rub his erection through his pants for a moment before I undo his belt buckle and his pants. He lifts his hips, allowing me to pull them down along with his boxers. I don't even bother taking his boots or socks off, or even removing his pants and boxers from his ankles. They're out of the way now. That's all that matters.

I take him in my mouth, quickly prepping him. Before I finish I bend my head down a bit and capture his balls, running my tongue all over them while he groans in pleasure.

"Time to fuck me, General Mellark," I smirk as I get back on the chair, hovering above him.

"Is that an order, General?" He smirks back.

"Absolutely," I nod. "I don't want to have to court-martial you, so you'd better fuck me to my complete satisfaction.

"Yes ma'am," he says crisply, like a soldier. I shake my head a little chuckling. "I've learned how to do this from the very best. Trust me, I follow my orders to the letter."

We both laugh, and I start lowering myself. I grasp his length and guide it into me, both of us groaning as he slowly fills me up. He grabs my hips and starts lifting me, helping me thrust down onto him.

I put my hands on his chest to steady myself as my bucking and riding gets incredibly intense. He keeps one hand on my hip as the other finds my boobs, almost possessively fondling them. That hand then moves around me and starts squeezing my butt.

After a while, Peeta wraps his arms around me and stands up. He slams into me a couple times while I'm straddling him in midair. Then he turns us around, laying me on my back in the chair. I reach out and grasp the arms as he begins absolutely pounding me into submission.

I'm quickly approaching my orgasm. Peeta, seeing this, pulls out and buries his head between my legs. I feel his tongue on my clit before it darts into my pussy.

"Fuck baby," I moan, grasping his hair with a hand. "I'm coming, don't stop."

He doesn't as I writhe and try not to scream in ecstasy. As he brings me back down to earth, he raises his head back up, licking his lips.

"You are definitely my favorite thing in the world to taste," he declares.

I can't really answer him as I'm in a euphoric haze. I feel him enter me again as he begins his rhythmic pounding again.

He brings me to another world-shattering orgasm before he starts nearing his own. I've always been able to tell when he's close, from both the look on his face and the change in his thrusts.

"I'm gonna come," he moans as he kisses me. "Oh baby you feel so fucking good."

"Come all over my face," I tell him, surprising even myself. "I want your come all over me and in my mouth. Come all over my face baby."

He looks at me, silently asking if I'm serious. I tell him with my eyes how very serious I am. He smiles. I know it makes him feel in control, powerful, when I let him come on or in me. Not to mention how much I love it as well.

"Fuck, I'm there," he groans. He pulls out as I shimmy downwards until I can capture his cock in my mouth. "Here it comes," he warns.

I stroke him hard as I position my face inches from his tip.

He explodes, and I close my eyes as it coats my face in warmth. I open my mouth and some drips in. I feel it all over my cheeks, nose, chin, everywhere.

His load is enormous, and I'm honestly stunned by how much come he just unloaded on to me. I can only imagine what I look like right now. I'm pretty sure there's even some in my hair.

Eventually he's spent, and I crack my eyes open, careful to not get any of his come in them. I look up at him and the look on his face is absolutely priceless. I smile as I use my fingers to wipe up his come, depositing it directly in my mouth. He looks to be in sheer awe, wonderment. When I've gotten all I can, I open my mouth and tilt my head up, making sure he sees every drop of it. Then I stare him in the eyes as I swallow happily.

"Mmm," I moan. "You are definitely my favorite thing in the world to taste." I repeat what he told me earlier. We both laugh.

He pulls me up as we both stumble over to the couch. I lay down first and pull him down on top of me, pillowing his head on my breasts.

"Thank you Kat," he whispers. "That was…..spectacular. I have no idea how you let me do that."

"I wanted it," I tell him emphatically. "I know how it makes you feel baby. You should feel like you have power over me, because you do. Especially when we're having sex. If letting you do that helps you feel more confident, I'm happy to accommodate whenever you want. If you haven't noticed, I love it just as much as you do. There's nothing better than feeling my husband's deliciousness all over me."

"You're the perfect wife," he mumbles happily. I giggle as he softly kisses my breasts.

"Want to take a shower?" I ask after a few minutes of cuddling.

"Sure," he nods against my chest.

"Carry me?" I plead.

"You don't even have to ask," he smiles as he stands up, reaching down and scooping me up in his arms easily.

"I can see why the twins love being in their daddy's arms so much," I joke. "I must admit, it's quite amazing. The view's not too shabby either."

He laughs as we enter the bathroom.

We take a fairly long shower, thoroughly washing each other multiple times, as on two separate occasions one of us demanded to have sex. The first time he fucked me against the wall. The second time I had my hands on the wall while I bent over slightly and he fucked me from behind. Both of them were, well, perfect.

The last thing I do is massage and clean his stump gently. When I'm finished I kiss every inch of it and reattach his prosthetic.

We get dressed, both of us throwing on jeans, and I just slip on one of his comfy t-shirts. It's pretty obviously his, considering it has his name embroidered on the front.

I make us a couple mugs of tea and we sit on the couch drinking them slowly, just chatting about nothing important.

After a while, there's a knock at the door. Peeta gets up to answer it.

He opens the door and I can see the surprise on his face.

"Plutarch! Um, please come in," he recovers quickly.

"Thank you," Plutarch says politely as he enters.

"Please have a seat," I motion to the other armchair, the one we didn't just completely defile. He thanks me and sits as Peeta sits back down next to me.

"What can we do for you?" I ask.

"Well, now that Coin is gone, we should discuss your role in Propos and such," he explains.

"Plutarch, were you aware of what we were doing? I don't remember ever seeing you at any of our meetings. I'm sorry if we didn't include you," Peeta relays his apology.

"Oh I knew," he waves him off. "Haymitch kept me well-informed. I didn't have a particularly active role, so I never attended any of the meetings. Haymitch wanted me to go about business as usual to allay any suspicions."

"Oh, okay. Good. I'm glad to hear that we didn't forget about you completely," I give him a small smile.

"Well everything has obviously changed now," he continues. "Your previous deal with Coin is obviously null and void now. Haymitch informs me you are both heading up the army now, correct?"

"Yes," I nod. "We'll be in Command pretty much every day helping Haymitch run the war."

"That's a very smart decision. Congratulations on your promotions as well. I have a proposal I'd like to run by you, if you'll listen?" He asks.

"Of course, Plutarch. You've been helping us since the very beginning," Peeta and I both nod.

"It's important now to show everyone that we are actually changing how everything is run. We need the army and the population to be behind us. It also legitimizes Coin's summary execution. What we must do is prove that this coup needed to happen, and that now, the government is truly working for the people."

"So what are you proposing?" I ask.

"I know how much you both hate making Propos," he smiles. We both nod enthusiastically. He laughs quietly. "I'm not going to ask you to do that unless you want to."

"Thank you," I breathe. "I'm sure that we'll have the need to make one soon, if only to continue informing everyone about the transition, the war, etc." He nods in understanding.

"I've spoken to Haymitch, and he has left the decision up to you. What I want to do is film you as you begin taking on your new roles in Command. We'll be careful to not show any confidential information, but we think it's important to show all of you working diligently, that you weren't lying when you said you were going to do everything possible to change the way things are."

"Film us? For how long?" Peeta asks.

"I don't really know yet," he honestly answers. "You'll be able to work normally. I'm not providing scripts or anything, I'll just be filming you as you go about your business. I've been working with Beetee, who has helped me design some new cameras. Most of the time, it will only be me and one cameraman."

Peeta and I look at one another.

"Give us a minute?" I ask as I stand up, pulling Peeta up with me. "Would you like a drink or something?"

"Oh, no thank you Mrs. Mellark," he politely declines. "Please take all the time you need. I can wait or we can talk later."

"Please wait, if you don't mind," I tell him. He nods as Peeta and I retreat to our bedroom.

We sit on the end of the bed and hold hands. I lean my head on his shoulder.

"What do you think?" He asks.

"As much as I hate being on camera, I think they're right," I admit.

"Me too," he nods sadly. "At least we won't have to really do anything, just our jobs."

"Yeah. It won't be that bad. At least I hope so."

He laughs softly and kisses the top of my head gently.

"So what should we tell Plutarch?" He quietly asks.

I sigh heavily.

"We'll tell him we'll do it. But on our terms, of course," I amend. "We can tell him to leave at any time, we have final say before he airs, and our children are never to be on camera without our permission."

"Let's tell him," Peeta nods.

We walk back into the living room and he looks surprised it only took us a couple minutes.

"We'll do it," I say simply when we're seated. "But we have terms."

"Of course," he looks like he expected that. Good. "Please, tell me."

"We have the right to ask you to leave Command or wherever we're filming at any time for any reason," I begin.

"That's acceptable," he nods.

"We have final say and edit before you air anything."

"Of course," he nods again.

"Our children are not to be on camera unless we decide we want them to be. This is the most important one, Plutarch. If I find out you filmed my kids without my knowledge," I pause, trying to think of an appropriate threat.

"Just don't," Peeta steps in. "Trust me. You do not want to see that side of my wife. She's very protective of our children, as am I."

"I understand completely," he assures us. "I wouldn't do anything like that without your direct permission and supervision."

"Thank you Plutarch," I say gratefully.

We talk for a few more minutes about the coup and the transition, and he gets up to leave. He tells us he'll start filming soon. He'll let us know.

It's past dinnertime now, and we're both hungry. We go down the hall and knock on the O'Dairs door. Finnick answers it.

"Hey Mellarks," he grins. "Come to reclaim your rug rats?"

"How dare you call my children rug rats," I joke.

"Apologies, Mrs. Mellark," he jokes back. "What's up guys?"

"We're heading to the cafeteria. You guys hungry?" Peeta asks.

"Annie? Jo? Want to get some food with Katniss and Peeta?" He calls over his shoulder.

"Sure," I hear Annie.

"If we must," is Jo's sarcastic reply.

They appear moments later, Josh in Jo's arms and Eve in Annie's. Finnick grabs the diaper bag and slings it over his shoulder.

"We can take them," I offer.

They all refuse. Even Finnick refuses to relinquish the diaper bag to Peeta or me.

Peeta and I smile at how attached they are to the twins, and how much the twins obviously love all the attention. We walk as a group to the cafeteria, knocking on our friend's doors along the way. Our group grows as we go.

When we enter the cafeteria, it's fairly full of people milling about and eating. One of the first things we changed was opening the cafeteria twenty-four hours a day. We still have to ration a lot of the food, but we did away with the rigid meal times.

As soon as the room sees that we've entered, it goes deadly silent.

We look at each other, not sure about the reception we're getting.

Then, as if they'd planned it, everyone starts clapping and cheering, standing up on tables, kids on their parent's shoulders, basically a huge party. We stand there, shocked, as they show their appreciation for us.

As we walk through the crowd, there are a million thanks thrown our way. Even the twins seem to revel in it, smiling at everyone widely.

Finnick told us on our way here that while we took our nap, Haymitch had gone on the air and announced that we had all been promoted to general. He also announced that Peeta and I had been put in charge of the army. Apparently, we're considered almost as important as Haymitch as leaders to the community now.

I don't know who starts it, but it soon spreads through the entire cafeteria. They begin chanting 'Mellark! Mellark!' as loud as they can. Even our friends join in as everyone creates one huge circle around us. Peeta and I literally don't know what to do.

Eventually, Peeta pulls me up to stand on a table with him. He holds out his hands, motioning everyone to quiet down.

"Thank you all for that wonderful reception," he starts, speaking with sincerity like he always does. "Katniss and I are both honored and humbled by our appointment. We're going to do our very best to make the right decisions for this army, this District, and this country. But our first priority will _always _be to improve every citizen's life, regardless of their social standing, wealth, or any other factor. Together, we can win this war and change Panem. Thank you."

Their raucous applause as Peeta finishes speaking. I'm glad he spoke for both of us, as it was hard for me to do all that public speaking earlier during the coup.

Again the people quiet down when they see Peeta wants to say something else.

"Please, we're very grateful for your support, but don't forget that we didn't do this alone. There were a lot of people who helped. All of our friends," he points to them, "a great number of brave soldiers and officers, and numerous other individuals helped make today possible. So, again, thank you, and please have a great night."

After more inevitable applause we step down. Eventually everyone goes back to what they were doing, and I breathe a sigh of relief. While it was amazing to see the impact we had, I really didn't like being the center of attention like that for too long.

We all get our food and sit. Johanna and Annie finally hand us our kids.

"I see," I tease mercilessly, "as soon as it becomes even the slightest bit difficult you give up."

"Shut up brainless," Jo snaps back sarcastically, grinning.

"I wouldn't talk to her like that," Peeta pipes up from beside me, smirking. "Are you forgetting that technically, all of you now report to us?"

"Oh dear god help us," she buries her face in her hands. Everyone laughs.

"Don't worry," I pat her on the back. "As long as you do everything we say, we won't make you clean toilets with toothbrushes," I joke.

"What were we thinking putting them in charge?" Finnick laments.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," Annie shrugs.

"We should all get our heads checked," Johanna mutters.

Peeta and I just smile at the banter, happy that we all made it through today safely. Everything already feels different. We can speak freely now without fear of reprisals. We can actually foment change at the highest levels. For once, we feel in control of our destiny.

I've never been more certain that we're going to win this war, and I'll soon be back home with my family.

I turn and kiss Peeta on the lips.

He gives me a questioning look.

"What was that for? I'm not complaining, but it just seemed kind of random."

I just shrug and kiss him again.

**A/N: That was a pretty fun chapter. Thanks go out to Ripe, who is always vigilant with his reading and reviews, for pointing out that they completely left Plutarch out of the loop. Hopefully I resolved that issue adequately. **

**It's going to be really fun seeing how Katniss and Peeta deal with running the war. How good will they be at military tactics? Wait and see. **

**Hopefully I'll be able to post the next chapter of 'Top Of The World' later tonight, but I'm not making any promises, as I have to drive to Ft. Lauderdale to pick up a friend at the airport. **

**Thanks as always for reading and reviewing! Keep it gangsta. **


	32. Katniss The Judge

_**Fair Warning: The end of this chapter consists of an extended graphic sex scene. **_

"General Mellark?"

Peeta and I both snap our heads to look at who's calling us. We're sitting in Command, going over battle plans from District 3.

It's clear he means me.

"Yes, what is it Major?" I ask.

"Ma'am, Scarlet Johnston's court-martial was scheduled for today," he explains. "Are we still to proceed?"

"Absolutely," I nod. "Who is presiding?"

"Well it would have been former President Coin," he answers. "Who would you like to preside, ma'am? I can ask President Abernathy if you wish."

"That won't be necessary," I shake my head. "I will be presiding over her court-martial," I grin. "What time is it scheduled for?"

"Three o'clock ma'am."

"Very well Major. Please inform the advocate general that I will be there. Dismissed."

I turn back to the conference table and Peeta is smirking at me.

"What?" I ask.

"You," he chuckles. "You can't wait for this afternoon can you?"

I try to play it off by shrugging casually.

He just laughs.

"She's going to get quite the shock when she walks in and sees you," he smiles. "Can I come? I don't want to miss this for anything."

"Of course you can," I nod. "You can even sit right next to me."

"I'm not judging though," he protests.

"So? We're generals, Peeta. We can do what we want. If I want my husband sitting next to me, my husband will be sitting next to me."

"You're so sexy when you get what you want," he whispers, glancing around to make sure no one else is listening.

"Play your cards right and you'll take this general to bed later," I whisper back, causing him to blush. I giggle softly and kiss his cheek before we both get back to work.

We're in our second week as Commanders of the Army. At first it was overwhelming to say the least. Peeta and I have no experience in military tactics or running a war. But from the very start, it was obvious that both of us have a knack for it. The other generals and officers have been constantly impressed. I don't blame them for being a little resentful at first, considering they'd worked their way up through the ranks while we were commissioned directly to Colonel then promoted up two ranks to General. Now, though, the respect we garner is obvious. When we enter a room, it goes silent and we receive crisp military salutes. When either of us speaks during a meeting, our opinions are highly regarded and our suggestions usually enacted.

Haymitch was born for his job. It's blatantly obvious. He already has won over the entire District with his fairness, devotion to justice, and dedication to the people. He's already reversed a lot of things Coin did, starting with doing away with meal times. He raised almost everyone's compensation, especially the lower-incomes. Working with us, we opened up the officer corps to anyone, getting rid of the nepotistic, cronyism that Coin utilized. He's offered anyone in any District we've liberated the chance to not only serve in the army, but also become a fully-fledged citizen of 13 and live here.

In the short amount of time since the coup, we've streamlined communication between the army and Command, focusing more on saving lives than taking them. If we can accomplish an objective without military or civilian casualties, we always take that option. If we can accomplish an objective without putting any soldiers in harm's way, we choose that option. This has had an added benefit of skyrocketing Peeta's and my popularity among the army and the citizens. Wherever we go in the District now, people clamor around us like celebrities, even more than before. It's getting to the point where we almost don't want to leave our quarters sometimes.

We promoted a lot of officers to fill vacancies, which left a lot of open commissions. Peeta and I spent days going over thousands of personnel files, trying to find the right soldiers to train to become officers.

The very first soldier I personally promoted and commissioned was my friend Madge Undersee. She's a Lieutenant now, and I've put her in charge of training the new recruits. She almost fainted when I told her we were promoting her from Private First Class to Lieutenant. She's proven herself to me time and again, and is not only an excellent soldier, but also a good person. She'll do great, I'm sure of it.

Command has a much different feel than when Coin ran it. We open it up for lively debate and discussion, not discounting anyone's opinion. We welcome criticism, as long as it's constructive, and we're always trying to do a better job. Our unofficial motto has become 'We can always do better'. All of our friends are now generals, so they're usually in Command during meetings and briefings. They've proven invaluable, not just for their support but also for their input.

But, when we leave Command, we go back to being Katniss and Peeta. We try not to bring our work home, instead focusing on our family when we step through the door each day. The twins are with us most days all day, but we really can't pay them all our attention when we're working. We insist to our friends, family, and regular citizens that when we're not in uniform to treat us just like anyone else. We're making sacrifices to try and win this war, just like every other family here.

"Come on, let's get some lunch," Peeta says tiredly after we go over casualty reports from a recent battle in District Two. It's becoming almost a stalemate, both sides gaining mere yards of territory and losing a lot of soldiers doing it.

"Okay," I nod and shuffle my papers, standing up. "I need to come back here quickly after to send out my report, but then we can have a little downtime before we go see our friend Scarlet."

"Sounds great," he smiles as he starts pushing the stroller containing our sleeping children. "They're out," he looks down at them.

"Yeah I guess we're too boring for them," I smile.

"Are we already the old, uncool parents?" He jokes.

"I sure hope not."

"You were uncool way before you had kids," Johanna says from behind us. I turn and give her a mock scowl and we both laugh.

"And I suspect you think you're the epitome of coolness?" I tease.

She just shrugs.

"I didn't marry a baker," she teases back.

"Hey!" Peeta takes offense with a smile. "I'm also a painter."

"Exactly my point," Johanna says. "If I ever get hitched, and trust me, I probably won't, it's going to be to an actor or athlete or fighter pilot."

I roll my eyes at her.

"Don't worry sweetie," I lean my head on Peeta's shoulder as we walk. "Your cheese buns are a large part of why I married you."

"So finally the truth emerges!" He grins. "You married me for my skills in the kitchen."

"Well yeah, but your skills in the bedroom definitely had a say in it," I grin back.

"Well the reason I married you is so I could eat fresh game every night," he teases.

"I always suspected that," I smile. "And you got me pregnant to keep me and my bow around, right?"

"Right," he nods. "Depending on how good the meat is, I figure I'll get you to at least have three, maybe four more of my kids."

"Can we seriously stop this conversation?" Johanna whines. "It's getting disgusting."

"I'm enjoying it," Annie pipes up.

"Me too," Finnick agrees.

"How do you know I didn't get pregnant to keep _you _around?" I smirk. "It got you to wait on me hand and foot for months. I didn't have to do anything really. Besides the whole labor thing, it was a jolly good time. I didn't have to cook or clean or even do that much during sex."

"Oh my god," Johanna mutters, slapping a hand to her forehead. "Please, stop."

"For your information," Peeta declares, ignoring Jo's pleas like the rest of us, "I didn't cook because you were pregnant. I cooked so our meals would be edible."

Everyone, even me, laughs at that one.

"And I cleaned because, well, you made a mess all the time. Remember when I came home from my interview with Caesar?" I nod, smiling. "There had to be a hundred used tissues surrounding you on the couch. You went to sleep, and I picked them all up." He's not mad, in fact he's rather enjoying our banter like I am.

"Well those tissues were your fault," I accuse, "first your wrote me that sappy love letter, then you had to go on TV and say things you knew would turn me into a giant blubbering mess. Then to top it off you show up a day before you were supposed to be home."

He just shrugs casually.

"Not my fault your emotions were running rampant."

"Actually, Peeta, that was most certainly your fault," Annie interjects.

"Yep," I agree. "Everyday I'd look at my huge belly and think, 'Peeta Mellark did this to me. I'm going to get him back one day.'"

"Good luck with that," he smirks.

"Who says I haven't already?" I say slyly. "Maybe you just don't realize how I've been manipulating you."

"Oh really? And how would that be honey?"

"Well if I told you it wouldn't be manipulating anymore now would it?"

"Smart girl," he smiles and kisses the tip of my nose. Annie sighs and Johanna grunts.

"Finally," Johanna mutters when we get to the cafeteria. "I couldn't take another second of that."

"You know you love it," I pat her on the back. "Or else you wouldn't hang out with us all day, every day."

"On the contrary. I hang out with your kids," she defends. "At least those Mellarks can't talk yet."

We all laugh loudly as we get in line to get some food. People still stare openmouthed at us wherever we go, but it gets really bad when we're in the cafeteria. I don't know if it's because of our new positions or what we did in the coup, but it's kind of eerie. We're just trying to go about our day, spending time with our friends like normal people.

We fill up our trays and find where Cinna, Portia and Effie are already eating.

"Where's Haymitch?" I ask Effie as I sit.

"He said he can't eat in here too often anymore," she explains. "Something about too much work and how he gets mobbed whenever he's in a crowd."

That makes me chuckle, thinking about people swooning over Haymitch. Haymitch, who a year ago Peeta and I had to wake up from drunken stupors by pouring a pitcher of water over his head. Haymitch, who before Peeta and me came along, planned on drinking himself to death. Now, he's sober, focused, hard-working, and responsible. It's like he's a completely different person.

"General Mellark?" Cinna smiles.

"Cinna how many times do I have to tell you that you can always call me Katniss."

"I know, I just kind of like calling you general," he smiles wider.

"Whatever you want Cinna, whatever you want," I smile back.

"Well I just wanted to thank you and Peeta for my new job," he says seriously. "Portia and I are really enjoying it so far."

"You're welcome," Peeta speaks for both of us.

"We're happy to help," I add. "And you know if either of you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to come to one of us. We're your friends before we're your superiors."

They smile gratefully at us. Peeta and I decided that both of them had done so much for us in one of the hardest times of our lives that we should start repaying that debt. First, we put them in charge of the quartermasters for the army. One of their responsibilities now is making sure the army has proper clothing for whatever climate they're fighting in. We also commissioned them to design new and improved uniforms and armor. Lastly, we made them the heads of the District's civilian clothing program. We've been having an increase of immigration since we took over, and all those people need clothing, seeing as how most of their belongings were either left in their home Districts or destroyed.

"We should have a prototype for the new battle vest next week," Cinna happily reports. "Beetee has been helping us."

"That's great," Peeta nods. "Good work guys."

Beetee, of course, is now in charge of anything and everything having to do with technology. He helps the army come up with new gadgets and improve the existing equipment. He tinkers in his lab and designs new things for use around the District, like installing a videoconference device in Command so we can speak face-to-face with officers in the field.

We finish up eating lunch and Peeta and I head back to Command so I can file my report with the commanders of our troops in District Six. I've taken a look at their plans for an upcoming offensive, and I've approved it with some slight alterations.

Soon we find ourselves in our bedroom, both of us collapsing backwards on the bed as soon as we put the twins down. While we love our new jobs, it can be exhausting work. We've been woken up multiple times in the middle of the night to deal with some kind of crisis. That usually involves one of us biting the bullet and waking up Finnick and Annie so they can watch the twins while we go deal with it.

Peeta sets an alarm, wraps me up in his arms, and we both fall asleep quickly.

We awake at half past two, and change and feed the twins. Annie's going to watch them while we're at the court-martial. She shows up right when we asked her to and basically kicks us out of our own place so she can fawn over our kids. We smile at how much she loves them as we leave.

When we arrive at the assigned room for the court-martial, we see a number of people from District 12 in the gallery. Scarlet's family is here, as well as her three 'minions', the girls who follow her around everywhere and worship the ground she walks on. I find it kind of ironic they teased me for years, now I'm a general and about to preside over Scarlet's court-martial. I even see Sarah Jacobsen in the crowd, but every time I look at her she avoids eye contact.

Peeta and I walk hand-in-hand down the center aisle, cordially greeting people we know. We climb up the few steps to where I'll preside from. I take a seat in the large leather chair and Peeta sits beside me in a smaller, but comfortable chair. I'm happy to see that there's a large placard in front of me that reads 'General Katniss Mellark, presiding judge advocate'. I asked them to add one for Peeta too, and his reads 'General Peeta Mellark, assistant presiding judge advocate'. I figured if he's going to be here, he might as well help me out. Considering I can pretty much make the rules up as I go, why not?

I bang the gavel down a couple times.

"Order, order," I say into the microphone. "This court-martial will now convene. Guard, please bring in the defendant."

Scarlet is brought in, wearing the typical bright orange jumpsuit that prisoners here wear. Her hands are shackled in front of her and there's a bag over her head. They sit her down behind the defense table. She was 'rearrested' this morning on her charges and waited in a holding cell for her trial to begin.

"Please remove the prisoner's shroud," I order her guards. The comply, and I wait for the moment she recognizes who is about to hear her case.

She looks around for a few seconds, her eyes readjusting and gets her bearings. Then they stop once they see me, smiling at her.

"What are _you _doing here?" She yells out.

"Prisoner Johnston," Peeta answers her. "If you wish to address General Mellark, you must wait until she allows you to speak. When you do address her, you will use her proper rank."

"_General_ Mellark?" She says incredulously.

"This is your last warning," I say gravely. "If you cannot control yourself and abide by the court's rules I'll be forced to order you gagged. Understood?"

She just nods, glaring at me.

"Very well," I nod back. "Who is representing Prisoner Johnston in these proceedings?"

"I am, your honor," I hear from the gallery. Her father stands up and starts walking towards where Scarlet is seated.

"You are aware of the charges leveled against your daughter?" I ask him.

"Yes, ma'am," he nods.

"The Prisoner has the right to choose her own counsel, so proceed," Peeta orders.

There's no 'prosecution' in this case. Peeta and I are basically the prosecutors, judges, and the jury.

"Scarlet Johnston, please rise," Peeta asks. She stands up. "You have been accused of insubordination, harassment of a senior officer, refusal to follow direct orders, conduct unbecoming, and threatening. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"All of these 'charges' have been invented by General Mellark because she hates me and is jealous of me," she sneers. "I'm innocent. She should be the one on trial," she points right at me.

"Do you have witnesses to verify your claims?" I ask evenly.

"Yes ma'am," her father replies.

I can only imagine whom they're going to ask to speak.

I'm right. He calls up her three followers and all of them tell a sob story about how, even before the rebellion back in 12, I relentlessly teased and bullied Scarlet, and even attacked her. Okay, the last one might be true, but I was completely justified. They claim that once she joined our class and I had power over her, I singled her out and humiliated her publically because of my jealousy. When Peeta asks why I would be jealous of her, they all answer because she's better looking than me and I was afraid Peeta would leave me for her. Both of us have to try really, really hard to stifle our laughs.

"While their testimony would seem to corroborate what you have claimed, I have no way of knowing how reliable these witnesses are. Therefore, I'm forced to call up a witness whose credibility is not in question," I announce. She's still looking smug.

I lean over and whisper to Peeta so only he can hear.

"Honey go over to that door and open it for me please," I motion to the back door. He nods and gets up.

As he is about to open it, I turn back to the court and speak.

"Would President Haymitch Abernathy please make his way to the stand?"

They're gasps all throughout the room as Haymitch follows Peeta in. He smiles up at me and winks as he takes a seat on the stand.

"President Abernathy, do you know the defendant, Scarlet Johnston?" I ask directly.

"Yes, your honor," he nods. "I've known her and her family for many years."

"It has been put forward to the court that Ms. Johnston was the victim of a coordinated, lengthy, vicious cycle of bullying, teasing, humiliation and abuse. Have you ever witnessed anything of the sort perpetrated against her?"

"No," he shakes his head vehemently. "Scarlet and her friends took pride in bullying people they thought were beneath them. I personally witnessed them on a few different occasions approach the Mellark household in District 12 and engage in bullying and other lewd activities aimed directly at you, ma'am."

"What about here in District 13?" I ask.

"I haven't personally witnessed anything happen, but I have seen footage of the defendant directly disobeying orders, being insubordinate, and attempting to goad you into a fight."

"I believe we have been able to obtain this footage, have we not?" I turn to Peeta.

"Yes General," he nods. He presses a button and a large screen appears on the wall. I had Beetee splice up the footage to make a little presentation. I was overjoyed when I realized that along with crystal clear video, there's also audio.

The entire room watches as Scarlet repeatedly ignores my orders, calls me names, tries to engage Peeta into a sexual relationship, tells me directly she's going to seduce him, and all the other crap she's pulled. I can't help but grin.

When it's finished she looks stunned. Her dad does too, like he didn't expect us to have any real evidence.

"Now, do you have any evidence that can prove your claims?" I ask the two of them.

They whisper for a moment together.

"No, ma'am," he answers, looking at his feet.

"Thank you for your time, President Abernathy," I politely dismiss Haymitch. He descends and as he walks by Scarlet, I hear him quietly tell her, 'Good luck sweetheart'. It makes me smile.

"Ms. Johnston, you have been dishonorably discharged from the army. You were then reassigned to a work detail, correct?" Peeta reads over her file.

"Yes, sir," she answers.

"So tell me why you have already missed," he flips through some pages, "six shifts, causing you to be reprimanded?"

"Well, um, you see, I didn't feel good and-" She stumbles until I interrupt her.

"The point is there's no excuse," I tell her firmly. "You were removed from the army because you lacked discipline and the ability to follow orders. Now you've proven that even in the civilian sector you are more of a detriment than an asset."

"But, but, my job is terrible!" She yells. "You assigned me to clean toilets you bitch!"

She catches herself too late, and she's already called me a bitch. Her eyes widen in realization.

"What was that?" I ask calmly.

"Nothing ma'am," she mumbles.

"You were assigned your job because everyone in this District has to do their part. I don't hear anyone else from your detail complaining. If you think you deserve a different job, I'd be glad to listen to why you believe you should be reassigned."

She opens her mouth to speak but nothing comes out.

"Very well," I nod. "I have heard all of the testimony and examined all the evidence. I will now render my decision after conferring with General Mellark."

Peeta and I huddle and talk quietly.

"So obviously she's guilty," he smirks. "What should we sentence her to?"

"It's not like if we give her jail time she'll be any different when she comes out. She'd probably come out hating me even more." He nods. "I don't know," I sigh.

"Well I don't think we can execute her," Peeta smiles.

"I wish," I huff.

"You've already kicked her out of the army, made her move, and given her a crap job," he says. "What more can we do to her?"

"Restrict her to the District?" He nods. "I've got it."

I whisper my plan to Peeta and he agrees. He gives me a quick kiss hidden from everyone before we turn back.

"Please rise," I motion to her. She stands up. "I find you guilty of all the charges laid forward. Now, normally, your crimes would warrant a prison sentence followed by probation. However, I do not believe you would benefit from that. Instead, you will be restricted to the District. You will be issued an ankle bracelet to track your movements and alert the authorities if you go somewhere that's restricted to you. You will report for work every day on time. If you miss even one shift, you'll be hauled back in front of me and I won't be so lenient. Every week you will meet with an assigned probationary officer to check in and discuss how you are doing. I will personally read the reports from these meetings. At night, instead of staying in your assigned quarters, you will report back to the stockade and sleep in a cell. In the morning you'll be released to go to work. I'm going to start this sentence at six months and then we'll reevaluate."

I pick up my gavel and bang it down forcefully.

"This case is hereby concluded. Please release the prisoner, who is to immediately report to Level G51 to receive her ankle bracelet and further instructions."

They uncuff her and her family and friends surround her, most of them shooting me hateful looks. I ignore them. I quickly make a call to Beetee to let him know to expect Scarlet and what I want her ankle bracelet to consist of. He tells me he's on it.

Peeta waits patiently while I finish up, writing a quick summary for the records, writing out orders for her punishments, and assigning her a probation officer. When I'm done I take his hand and we leave together through the back door.

"You enjoyed that, huh?" He asks me when we're alone.

"Yeah," I admit with a small smile. "It felt pretty good after everything she did."

"You know, I'm really proud of you. You had the power to really make her life miserable. You could've thrown her in jail and nobody would've said a word. She deserved it. But you chose to not let your emotions rule, and for that I'm proud of you."

He gives me a sweet kiss on the cheek and I giggle softly.

"Thanks honey," I tell him honestly. "Thanks for being here with me."

"Not like I had anything better to do," he jokes. "Besides, I've told you how hot you are in situations like that. I had quite a good time watching you."

"Oh yeah?" I smirk, leaning into him as we walk. He wraps an arm around my waist. "You know, we don't really have all that much to do before dinner."

"What are you saying General Mellark?" He smirks back.

"It's Mrs. Mellark to you," I grin. "Or baby, honey, sweetie, darling, pumpkin, fuck-toy, wife, lover-"

"Okay, okay, I get it," he laughs. "Pumpkin? Really?"

"I tell you to call me fuck-toy and you choose to question pumpkin?"

He shrugs.

"I've learned that you have an incredibly dirty mouth when it's just us," he grins. "I guess I've gotten used to it."

I roll my eyes and laugh.

"And besides, you are my fuck-toy," he adds after a moment.

"I sure am," I nod, leaning up to kiss him thoroughly. I leave him with a dazed look on his face.

"I love you," he mumbles happily. I giggle.

"I love you too baby. Come on," I tug on his hand, "let's go find an empty room and I'll show you just how much of a fuck-toy I am."

"Whatever you want," he mumbles again, a silly grin on his face.

"Snap out of it," I gently slap his cheek. "While I wouldn't mind all that much, I'd much rather have you present and participating."

"Okay," he smiles. "I'm back."

"Good. Screw this, Peeta," I announce after we've unsuccessfully found an empty room. "Let's just go to our office."

"Oh god yes," he nods enthusiastically.

We have an office at Command. Technically it's Peeta's office but I just had my desk moved in there as well. We have comfy leather office chairs and a large plush leather couch as well as seats for visitors. It's very well-appointed and we get a lot of work done there.

We get some funny looks as I basically drag him behind me through the halls, him with a goofy smile and my face showing determination.

I purposely avoid walking through Command, instead taking the back entrance into the hallway our office is in. Haymitch's is right down the hall, and we have to pass him to get to ours. I don't stop, but after we pass I hear his loud booming voice behind us.

"Try not to break anything sweetheart! And keep it down a little, I'm trying to get some work done!"

I roll my eyes as Peeta blushes, and I quickly type in our access code and swing the door open. I turn and go right to work on Peeta's pants as I back us up into the room.

"Kat?" He asks as he unbuttons my pants.

"Yeah?"

"Can we, um, maybe do it in my chair?" He nervously asks.

"Sure. Why?"

"I don't know," he shrugs sheepishly.

"It makes you feel powerful," I deduce easily. He nods shyly. "Oh I'm so in," I excitedly tell him. "Come on, you can be the boss and I'll be the secretary."

"Is the door locked?" He glances back at it.

I quickly dart over and type in the 'do not disturb' code, automatically frosting all the windows so nobody can see in and locking the door except from the inside.

"Satisfied?" I ask.

"Not yet," he saucily replies as he picks me up by the waist.

I giggle as he spins me around before putting me back down. As soon as I'm back on my feet we feverishly strip each other down. When he's in his boxers and I'm in a bra and panties, I gently shove him backwards until he's in his chair. He looks up at me with hot burning desire.

"Do you need anything else done sir?" I ask in my best innocent schoolgirl voice.

"No, you can finish for the day," he smiles.

"Thank you sir. You're the best."

He shakes his head in disbelief and I laugh softly.

"Come here," he reaches out for me. I willingly walk towards him.

He pulls me to him and I kneel on either side of his legs as our lips meet. I feel his hands on my back, his skillful fingers making quick work of the clasp on my bra. I let it fall off my breasts. I can feel his growing erection through his boxers, and he decides to drive me wild by simultaneously using his tongue to harden my nipples and slipping a finger inside me under my panties.

He pumps his finger into me and I grab his face, bringing it back up to my lips. I moan into his mouth as he uses his thumb to flick my clit, quickly driving me towards a pretty explosive climax.

"Don't stop," I beg against his lips. "Please baby I'm there."

He smirks as I writhe atop him, moaning his name and how much I love him. Finally I come back down to earth, still experiencing amazing aftershocks.

I look down at him, and whisper with no hint of sarcasm or humor.

"Get those fucking boxers off right now."

I quickly stand up and slide my panties off. I don't even give them to him. I'm focused more on getting on top of him. He picks his hips up and pulls his boxers down, revealing his rock hard erection standing at attention.

"Your soldier is standing at attention, general," I tease.

"Only for you," he teases back.

I climb back onto the chair, quickly lick my palm to wet him, then guide him into me as I lower myself.

"Ohhhh," I groan as I sit all the way down, taking his entirety inside me.

He grips my torso as we work together thrusting and bucking. The look on his face is worth everything. He's showing me pure joy, ecstasy. That's all I ever want for him – to be happy.

"Fuck baby," I whimper, "I'm not going to walk straight tomorrow."

"We'll see about that," he declares.

Before I can react, he wraps his arms around me and stands up, taking me with him. He takes a couple steps forward and I feel the cool wood of his desk on my back. He theatrically pushes a bunch of papers out of the way and we both laugh.

I look up at him, telling him with my eyes what I want.

The look is unmistakable.

He starts backing up and pushing back in, holding my hips to keep me in the same spot when he thrusts powerfully. He builds up his tempo at my urging, and soon he's what I refer to as 'plowing' me. He bends down and kisses both of my breasts before locking our lips together. I feel one of his hands slide down my body and his thumb works my clit again as he continues fucking me.

"I want you to come again," he whispers against my lips.

"I'm going to," I answer. "Keep going. Right there. Oh my god, oh my god!"

He grins as I close my eyes and bite my lip as the orgasm racks through my body. I grab onto the edge of the desk to try and center myself. He doesn't let up at all, and prolongs my ecstasy like he does so well.

He lasts for a while longer, and we both enjoy every second of it. Eventually, I can tell he's inching towards his release as his thrusts get more powerful and more possessive.

"I'm almost there," he groans.

"Okay," I nod. "Want to come all over my boobs?"

"Really?" He asks giddily.

I roll my eyes dramatically.

"No, I thought I'd just tease you. Yes, really."

"Okay," he grins wide. It's obvious how happy I make him.

About a minute later he's right on the edge. He pulls out and I quickly kneel in front of him, reaching up and stroking him furiously with one hand while the other cups and massages his balls.

"Fuck Kat, here it comes," he warns.

I grab him and point it so it's directly over my chest. I stroke a little slower as he comes, coaxing everything out of him. His warm release covers both my boobs, dripping down into the hollow between them. When I'm sure I've gotten all I can out of him, I clean his length quickly. He moans the whole time. Then I look up at him while I pick up as much of it as I can from my breasts, depositing it directly into my mouth. His eyes roll into the back of his head when I swallow.

"That was amazing," I declare.

"Oh yeah," he exhales as he tumbles back into his chair. I giggle at the exhaustion on his face.

"I'm going to go clean up," I tell him as I saunter to the private bathroom attached to our office. I glance over my shoulder and see he's watching me, so I purposely add a little more sway in my hips.

A few minutes later I'm standing in front of the mirror trying to untangle my hair. Peeta made quite a mess of it. He always does. Speaking of him, he wraps his arms around me from behind and kisses my shoulder and neck.

"Mmm you taste good," he whispers in my ear.

"You do too," I assure him, smiling at him through the mirror.

"What time did we tell Annie we'd be back?" He asks.

"I told her probably a little before dinner, why?"

He doesn't answer. He just sticks his foot out and slams the bathroom door. He turns me around, picks me up, and plops me right on the counter.

"I think it's time for me to utilize my favorite toy," he smirks.

"Me too," I smirk back, reaching down and taking hold of him.

I knew this office would be awesome.

**A/N: It's fun to write about them as generals. They're really trying to institute change, and if you guys have any ideas in that regard, feel free to let me know. **

**I don't know if I'll get around to writing the next chapter of 'Top Of The World' today. If I do, it'll be posted later this evening. **

**Thanks as always for all the reviews and for reading!**

**Please read and review, let me know how I'm doing!**

**Until next time….**


	33. AN

To My Faithful Readers:

Apologies, first and foremost.

On Sunday morning, my sister and I made a decision to voluntary admit me to a mental health facility. I've been dealing with issues for a long time, and some of them came to a head last week. I've just gotten back home within the last few hours, and I know I have a long road to recovery ahead of me.

I'm sorry I wasn't able to alert you that I would be unable to post for the last week or so. I know I'd been posting on almost a daily schedule before that, but I felt my health took precedence. I thank you for your understanding.

One thing I did learn in the past few days, however, is how therapeutic and helpful writing is to me. So expect so see some new chapters soon. Most likely as early as tomorrow, but I won't make any promises.

Again, thank you for your understanding and your continuing support. I truly appreciate all of the wonderful reviews and feedback I get. It helps more than you can now.

Thank you.


	34. The Changing Face Of War

Ugh. This whole running-a-war thing is getting really old really quick. We know we're absolutely doing the right thing, but that doesn't change the fact that we're exhausted. We work hard all day, most of the time into the evenings, and throughout we're caring for two infants.

We're well aware there is a multitude of people who would gladly watch the kids for us. We just want them with us more often than not. We're their parents, we should be the one raising them. That's not to say that sometimes we find babysitters. We do still need some time alone, as husband and wife. We're generals too often now.

Scarlet, so far, has followed, albeit grudgingly, every condition I laid down as part of her probation. I check her tracking logs daily and she hasn't strayed or even gone near the boundaries once. It's only been a few weeks, but she's doing alright. The reports from her probation officer have been okay. She still has an attitude problem, which doesn't surprise me, but the officer claims she's making progress. Hopefully she's not playing us. I wouldn't put it past her, not for a second.

Madge, as she's now known, Lieutenant Undersee, is doing excellent in her new roles. I've dropped by her classes unannounced a few times, and found that not only is she doing a spectacular job training the new recruits, but they seem to like and respect her as well. She's fair but stern, like me.

The war, on the other hand, is a long slog. A lot of the fighting in the Districts has come to a standstill, a stalemate. Trench warfare is no fun, and not only does neither side gain much territory, a lot of soldier's lives are needlessly wasted. Peeta and I spend a lot of our time trying to come up with alternatives.

That's how we stumbled upon our current new strategy. We've started forming small squads of experienced soldiers, turning them into 'special forces'. They operate behind enemy lines, often wearing civilian clothing or disguising themselves as the enemy. They're given specific objectives on specialized missions, and so far, it's having a huge impact on the war effort as a whole. We've been able to destroy supply lines, munitions depots, and even infiltrate some brigade headquarters, not only taking several high-ranking staff officers into custody, but also gleaning enormous amounts of intelligence in the process. Just yesterday, our highest-performing team returned from a mission right in the middle of the Capitol. They presented us with detailed maps of the Capitol's troop placements and battle plans in five separate Districts. We were, needless to say, highly impressed.

"Finnick wants to send his team into District Two," Peeta says as we work side-by-side in the main situation room in Command. "They think they found a way into the Nut."

The Nut, located in District Two, is basically the Capitol's military headquarters. It's a stronghold located in the mountains, and many people on both sides consider it 'impregnable'. When we took over, the generals informed us Coin's plan was to just bomb it into oblivion, burying anyone unfortunate enough to be inside it under tons of rock and mountain.

That was a good plan, until thousand of innocent civilians began taking refuge there to escape the escalated fighting everywhere. The Capitol, of course, saw that as an opportunity, and now are using them as unwitting and unwilling human shields. Coin wouldn't have cared, she would have killed them all anyways, claiming the civilian's deaths were merely 'collateral damage', unavoidable in times of war.

That's simply not acceptable to us. Not in the least.

So, since Peeta and I found out, we've been looking for a way to get inside without having to waste any unnecessary life. If we can successfully covertly infiltrate, we might be able to sabotage from within. Our current ideas include spreading sleeping gas throughout the ventilation system, allowing us to take it over without a fight. We're currently searching for the correct formula that will have the least amount of side-effects and be safe for adults and children alike. Another idea is to simply cut the head off the snake, either kill or capture the leadership inside and announce to everyone that we now control the Nut, hoping to turn as many soldiers and citizens to our side as possible. As we've gone on, we've realized that once the Capitol's soldiers realize Coin is gone and the District and army are being run differently, they're more than willing to throw down their guns, put their arms in the air, and join us. So far, we've successfully assimilated thousands of Snow's soldiers into our community and army.

"They found a way in?" I ask Peeta.

He nods.

"That satellite surveillance you ordered paid off big time," he grins. "There's a small escape route through the mountains we can back-track through. It's barely even guarded. Finnick thinks we can incapacitate anyone along the way and get in silently and unnoticed."

"When do they want to go?"

"They're ready whenever. They're currently rearming and resting. They just got back from that mission in 5 a couple days ago," he informs me.

"That mission was flawless," I remember. "They captured every high-value target we knew was in the are with minimal casualties. We didn't lose a single soldier."

"They're not one of the best for no reason," he smiles. "I think they can pull this off Kat."

"Oh I have no doubt they can. Why don't we have them come in later today and we'll go over the mission in detail with the entire time? This is probably the most important mission yet," I suggest.

"Good idea. I'll tell Finnick," he nods as he picks up the phone. "Finnick? Peeta. Assemble the team and bring them to Command at 1500. We'll meet and brief the mission. Okay? Thanks, buddy. Hold on, let me ask." He turns to me. "He wants to know if we want to have dinner with him and Annie tonight, just the four of us."

"Sure," I smile. "I'll ask Prim to babysit?" He nods and tells Finnick.

"Maybe she'd be willing to keep them for a while," I quietly ponder.

"Why Mr. Mellark, are you suggesting what I think you are?" I smirk.

"Calm down," he smirks back, raising his hands in surrender. "I'd never do anything inappropriate, Mrs. Mellark. I'm well aware of the consequences involved in crossing you."

"You'd better be aware," I warn, poking him in the chest. "We have been married for more than a year buster. I'm still the wife. I'm still always right, correct?"

"Even when you're wrong," he nods gravely.

"That's right," I give him a quick peck on the lips as a reward. "Good boy."

"You know," he says in a teasing voice, "I'm fairly certain if I withheld certain, um, activities from you I could get some of that power back."

I roll my eyes. He wants to play this game? Fine by me. I look around and the only other people in the room aren't paying any attention to us, just diligently working.

I reach up and snake my hand around his neck, playing with the curls on the back of his head softly. I bring my face close to his until our noses are barely touching.

"It's not really a good idea to provoke your wife," I whisper. "I'm fine with sleeping while you attempt to pleasure yourself because I won't let you touch me." He cringes and I smile sadistically. "I doubt you'd even know how to get yourself off." I keep laying into him and his face gets redder by the second. "And, just to spite you, I'd make you watch while I slip my finger inside myself and lick it clean. Then I'd strip down and sleep in the nude, not letting you touch me even for a second."

"So not fair," he mumbles. "I would hate that so much. It would be so awkward having to get myself off like that in front of you."

"Why?" I ask, genuinely curious.

"I don't know," he shrugs shyly. "I'd feel like a creep doing that next to you, like I was taking advantage of you by gawking and using you to arouse me."

How sweet is that? He thinks it would be rude to touch himself in front of me because it would be 'using' me carnally.

"That's very sweet," I tell him seriously, my teasing finished for the moment. "I can see how you'd think that, but let me make something clear." I glance around again to make sure we're as private as we can be, and continue whispering softly. "While the situation I described will probably never occur, considering how hard it would be for both of us to keep our hands to ourselves, not even mentioning the fact that we love each other too much to fight like that, if it did ever happen, the last thing I would feel is used or violated. I'm your wife, Peeta. I'm your lover. What do you think I'd think about touching myself? Me naked? No, I'd be thinking about you. About your huge cock pounding into me. About your warm come in my mouth, sliding down the back of my throat. About how amazing I feel when you absolutely drench me with it, all over my face and tits. While yes, that's raunchy and only really about our physical relationship, who cares?"

He looks stunned, but I go on.

"We have such a strong bond honey. Not just physically. Emotionally, on a really deep level. We're connected, we always have been and we always will be. One of the ways we show our love to one another is by the things we do in bed. But that's only one of a billion ways you show me how you feel about me. However, I love how you look at me when we're in bed. I love how you can't stop staring sometimes, how obvious your lust is. It makes me feel beautiful, wanted. If you were just some random guy I'd feel dirty and violated, but you're not some random guy. You're the love of my life, and like I've told you countless times, this body belongs to you. So if you want to sit there and jerk off while you stare at my boobs, by all means, be my guest."

His jaw drops and I giggle at the adorable look on his face, giving him a sweet kiss.

"I love you," he mutters happily.

"I love you too baby," I whisper against his lips.

"I love your boobs," he blurts out.

I laugh and shake my head slightly.

"I figured that out the first time we slept together honey," I reveal. "Remember how you fumbled with my bra? You were so cute."

"I was so nervous," he remembers shyly. "I had no idea what I was doing."

"Me either," I assure him gently. "If you forgot, that was my first time too."

"I know this sounds stupid but I'm really glad I was the one who took your virginity."

"That's not stupid," I tell him firmly. "I'm glad it was you too. I'm glad we saved ourselves for each other. You have no idea how happy it makes me that you're the only man I'll ever make love to."

"It can't be nearly as happy as I am about the situation. I mean, look at you you're perfect. And somehow, you're all mine."

"So you _do _know I belong to you?" I joke. "I'm going to have to ask you to prove that later tonight, Mr. Mellark."

"It would be my genuine pleasure, Mrs. Mellark," he smiles wide.

"Actually I think it'll be both our pleasures," I smile back. We laugh together and kiss again. "Peeta can I ask you a question? It's really personal so I'll understand if you don't want to answer."

"Kat you know you can ask me anything."

I nod and take a deep breath.

"Did you ever come close to, um, having sex with any other girls before me?" I nervously ask quickly.

He's silent for a moment and averts his eyes. My panic level rises instantly. Was he lying when he said he was a virgin? It's almost impossible to tell like it is with girls. I have to take him at his word, and for over a year he's told me I was his first. Was he lying? Was he keeping the truth from me to protect me emotionally?

"I could've," he whispers painfully, still looking at the floor. I pray he doesn't look up and see the tears in my eyes. "It's not like it would have been that hard." The instant the words leave his mouth I know he regrets them.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I snap, way harsher than intended.

He sighs and runs his hand through his hair. He looks distressed to say the least.

"I'm sorry," he almost whimpers. "I'm so sorry Kat."

"What are you sorry about?" I ask, trying to calm down. "Is there something you need to tell me Peeta? Was I you first girlfriend? Your first kiss? Your first fuck?"

"That's the thing," he starts, but I interrupt him.

"Please don't," I beg. "Please don't tell me you've been lying to me this entire time. Just don't."

"Katniss I haven't lied to you," he replies, finally meeting my gaze. I can tell immediately he's being completely honest.

"I believe you."

"Well you remember how I told you Delly had a crush on me?" I nod. "She wasn't the only one."

"I think I knew that, if Scarlet or Sarah were any indication," I lightly joke. He chuckles.

"In high school there were a few girls who weren't shy to let me know how they felt. More than once I was told if I wanted, I could take them out behind the slag heap or come over late at night when their parents were asleep."

I remember those types of girls, the kind who gained acceptance by basically being whores, catering to the young males of the District. I was always repulsed by the whole thing.

"Obviously I never took any of them up on their offers," he quickly assures me. "Never even contemplated it, not for a second."

"I'm sure some of them were pretty," I mutter. "Prettier than me at least, and I wouldn't even talk to you back then."

"I know you won't believe me, but Katniss, but you were always the prettiest girl. And I'm not just saying that because I love you or because you're my wife. If you were dating some other guy I'd still think you're the most gorgeous girl I've ever laid my eyes on."

"Thank you," I eke out.

He just shrugs.

"It's the truth. I never wanted an encounter like that, a relationship like those girls wanted. Making love, or having sex, is something that I take seriously. It's a deeply intimate experience and I always wanted to wait until I was in love before even thinking about it."

"If we never got together would you have done it with another girl?" I ask, still feeling mightily insecure.

"I can't answer that. Not because I don't want to hurt your feelings, but because I honestly don't know. I can't even fathom loving anyone else but you. There's no possible way I could feel the same way about any other girl. So I guess my answer is no. I couldn't ever do that, even if we weren't together, even if you were married to someone else."

"I couldn't either," I tell him gently.

"Have sex with another girl? I honestly don't think I'd mind all that much, as long as you let me watch," he teases.

I giggle and he chuckles.

"Maybe one of these day," I tease back, "for your birthday or something, if you've been a good boy."

"Baby don't even joke about that," he looks like he's in pain. "While yes that probably is a common fantasy for guys, I'm not too sure what I'd feel about it."

"Well it would just be me and her," I continue teasing. "There's no way I'd let you touch her. You could fuck me, of course, but mine is the only pussy your cock will ever be inside of."

"I'm okay with that," he grins. "What about mouths?" He jokes, a hopeful look on his face. I roll my eyes.

"You're really digging yourself a hole it's going to be tough to get out of," I warn. "I guess I'm just going to have to show you, again, who it is that you and this," I reach down and forcefully grab his bulge through his pants, "belong to."

"Yes ma'am," he grunts.

I relent and let him go.

"Honestly though," he speaks again after catching his breath, "I don't ever want anyone, man or woman, with us in bed. That's between you and me and no one else."

"I know," I nod. "I was just teasing."

"Well if you know, then why does Annie seem to know all about what we do in our bedroom?" He asks with a grin.

"I told you, I like to brag you up," I grin back. "If it's any consolation apparently she and Finnick are both wildly jealous of our sex life."

"Why's that?"

"According to her we're much more spontaneous and, I believe, passionate."

"We definitely don't lack in either department," he smirks.

"I would agree with that assessment," I say academically.

I glance at my watch and realize we only have a few hours until the briefing with Finnick and the team.

"We should start going over the mission," I suggest, motioning to the reports in front of us on the table. "We need to be prepared for the briefing."

"Okay," he nods and turns back to the table. I kiss him on the cheek and smile.

"Remind me to call Prim in a few," I ask. "I'd really like a little double-date action with the O'Dairs."

"No problem," he makes a note.

"Maybe we can spend it trying to make them even more jealous," I smirk conspiratorially.

"Oh I'm so in," he grins.

"Good," I nod. "Then, afterwards, we can go back to our bedroom and you can commence proving how I'm the only woman for you."

"Trust me that won't be hard to do," he tells me seriously. "Besides, I'm fairly certain if I ever even thought about straying you'd castrate me."

"True. But not before I froze some of your genes so I could have more of your kids. Even if their father is a goofball, he seems to turn out some pretty good children."

"Oh god," he laments. "I can't even imagine what it would be like if I literally had no balls. I'm already halfway there as it is, considering the spell you have me under."

"Hey," I take offense, "it's not my fault you can't 'resist my scent'."

"You do it on purpose, don't you?" He accuses. "Get your panties all wet then shove them in my face to reinforce my obedience."

"Yup," I nod with no hint of remorse. "Like I said, you're a good boy."

I pinch his cheek like a child and whisper seductively.

"And maybe later you'll get a treat."

**A/N: Just a short chapter to lead up to what will start to be the final stages of the war. I'm trying to follow a little of the canon but in my own special way. **

**I probably won't get around to writing the entire next chapter for 'Top Of The World' tonight, so it'll most likely be posted at some point tomorrow. I have some appointments in the morning and early afternoon so we'll see. **

**Thank you all for the tremendous support I've been receiving since I returned home. I've started to seek a lot of help and I'm feeling better all the time. Just taking it one day at a time for now.**

**Thanks for reading and reviewing! I truly appreciate it. **

**Until next time… Shalom, and maybe there be peace on earth. **


	35. Making The O'Dairs Jealous

_**Fair Warning: This story + My writing = Sex Scene in this chapter. **_

"First, thank you all for coming. You are the very best team we have, the proverbial tip of the spear. We've asked you to this briefing because we have a mission for you. It's by far the most important and vital mission we've yet to plan. We wouldn't ask you to risk your lives unless we were positive that you could succeed. We have the upmost faith in your abilities and your loyalty."

Peeta speaks directly to the men, looking them in the eye as he does. It's obvious they respect him from how respectful and reverent they are.

"General O'Dair has consistently called you his 'a-team'. You were each chosen because of you exceptional skills, your intelligence, and your dedication to this rebellion. You've proven that as a team, you are unrivaled in the field. I wouldn't be surprised if every Capitol soldier knows about you and is terrified that one day you'll show up at their doorstep. That's exactly what we need, to get in their heads."

I see the team trying to hide small satisfied smirks at his words. Finnick grins and Annie shakes her head a bit at the look on his face.

I already like this team a lot. We have a few elite squads, but this one is our best by a long shot. Their last mission was a complete success, surpassing every single one of our expectations. We had predicted at least minimal casualties on both sides and they brought everyone back without a scratch with their objectives completed in the shortest time possible.

Also there's the fact that unlike most of the other men in these units, they don't leer at Annie and me during briefings. It's become a bit of an issue, but we know they're soldiers and they spend most of their time in training or in the field, away from their wives or girlfriends if they have any. That doesn't stop my skin from crawling at some of the looks I get though. I know Peeta's noticed it, as we've all talked about it a couple times, but he does his best to ignore it like me. We need our soldiers to be happy, loyal, and obedient. Besides, none of them have even come close to trying anything inappropriate. It's just the occasional gawk, and Annie and I are well aware of how we look in our uniforms. Peeta and Finnick both probably like it, although they'd never admit it. I'm sure they love that other men are jealous of what they get to go home with every night.

"Now, General Mellark will explain the overview of the mission," Peeta concludes, motioning to me. He sits back down and I stand up, moving to the huge map set up.

"Thank you General," I nod. "Your mission is to infiltrate and incapacitate the Nut in District Two." Their eyes widen and I can see the lust in their eyes from the knowledge that we're asking them to go on one of the most coveted of missions. "We've located a clandestine way in that will hopefully conceal your entry. From our intelligence we know there is going to be minimal resistance on this route, but as always, prepare for the worst. You will be supplied with authentic Capitol uniforms to disguise your true identities and intentions. If possible, subdue any guards as quietly as possible, preferably without using firearms. Your guns will, as usual, have suppressors, but hold off on going live as long as possible. Once you've successfully gotten inside, the mission parameters will be in your hands. Since we don't know exactly what to expect once you're in, we're leaving the decision on how to proceed up to you on the ground. We've come up with a few options. The first, and most preferable, is to gas the entire compound through the ventilation system with sleeping gas. This will not only reduce casualties but also allow us to take control of the Nut with ease. If this is not possible for any reason, your next course of action would be to locate the command center and attack it directly. If we can take control that way, by capturing or killing the leadership, there's a good chance the enlisted soldiers would willingly surrender. We've found that if given the chance, the typical Capitol soldier doesn't necessarily want to fight. We've successfully turned thousands of them to our side easily."

The soldiers take this all in, listening intently as I use the schematics we have of the Nut to explain the mission.

"Please speak freely with any questions or suggestions," I finish.

"Ma'am, do we have any intel that suggests how many soldiers are stationed there?" A sergeant asks.

"We do not have any concrete data, no," I answer. "We predict that there is, at any time, at least two thousand soldiers garrisoned there."

They nod and jot this down.

"If we're able to gas the complex, what's the next step ma'am?" The commanding officer, Lieutenant Manning, asks.

"Radio in your situation back to command," I explain. "We'll have a force on standby to quickly reinforce you and take full control."

"Are there civilians present?" Is his next question.

"Yes," I nod. "We believe there are at least five thousand civilians from various Districts taking refuge there from the fighting. The civilian quarters are separated from the military structure, but we'll need to take control of that as well. Obviously we need to minimize civilian casualties as best we can. That's one of the reasons we chose your team, Lieutenant. You've consistently exceeded our expectations and shown that you truly care about preserving the sanctity of life, especially when it concerns civilians."

"Thank you ma'am," Manning responds with obvious pride in his men.

"Very well Lieutenant," I reply. "I want you to come up with a feasible, safe plan for this mission, including an extraction contingency. When you're ready we'll meet back here so you can brief us. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am," he responds crisply, saluting me. I salute back.

"You and your team are dismissed."

An hour or so later, we find ourselves meeting up with Finnick and Annie after we went back to our places to get ready. We dropped the twins off with Prim, who was more than happy to babysit her godchildren.

"You know," Peeta whispers while we wait for them in the hall, "you were really sexy today during that briefing."

"Oh yeah?" I tease, biting my bottom lip and batting my eyelashes at him.

"Yeah," he nods dumbly. "I'm kind of embarrassed to admit it but I really wanted to bend you over the conference table."

"Bend me over?" I ask innocently. "Why would you do that?"

He rolls his eyes and I giggle.

"You really want me to say it?" I nod. "Okay. I wanted to bend you over, rip your pants down, and fuck your brains out."

"So why didn't you?"

"Kat we were in the middle of a briefing. There were twenty other people in the room with us."

"So? The man I married isn't a wuss," I tease.

"Oh you're just asking for it," he says gruffly.

Before I can react he's pushed me up against the wall and attacked my lips. I gladly respond, both of us deepening the kiss. I feel his hand over my dress, roughly fondling my breast. I moan into his mouth. His hand starts sliding down the front of my dress and I start getting hot with anticipation.

Just then, the door swings open.

"Oh god!" Annie yells in horror. "Really? Right here?"

Peeta buries his head into my shoulder in sheer embarrassment. I just smirk at Annie and Finnick.

"Sorry," I say unapologetically. "Couldn't be helped."

"You just really want to make us jealous, don't you?" She asks in frustration.

I shrug.

"Maybe. But really it's just that we can't keep our hands off each other."

"Yeah that's not totally obvious," Finnick says sarcastically. "Let's just go to dinner."

We all laugh as we make our way to command, where we've had a special dinner set up for just the four of us in one of the conference rooms. Annie and I made sure it was to our exact specifications. We even have a private chef and servers, who of course are being well compensated for their time and energy.

We arrive, and all four of us gasp at the wonderful set-up. It's incredibly romantic, the only light in the room being provided by the soft glow of candles. The table is small and intimate, covered by a classy white tablecloth.

"Welcome," the waiter says, dressed in a tuxedo. "Please be seated."

Finnick and Peeta, the gentlemen they are, hold our chairs for us and help us scoot in. Peeta even grabs my napkin and places it in my lap for me. I give him a kiss on the cheek to reward him.

We start off with a bottle of wine (which quickly turns into two, then three bottles) and some salad. Everything is delicious, even the fresh bread that I'm positive Peeta baked. I'm his wife, after all, and I eat more of his bread than anyone. I can tell if its been baked by him, or if it's someone else using his recipe.

The conversation flows easily between us, considering how close we are. We laugh and joke and have some serious discussions about some of the recent gains we've made in the war. Throughout, both of the couples sneak in kisses and hold hands over the table. I can't stop staring at Peeta. He just looks so handsome in his suit and tie.

The main course is rack of lamb with sides of vegetables and potatoes. It's, well, spectacular. Peeta laughs at the mess I make and I playfully scowl at him before joining in his amusement.

By dessert, we're all a little tipsy, and end up feeding most of the cake to our spouses, smearing some on each other's faces. We drink two cups of coffee and tea, then agree we're all a little tired so we head back to our quarters.

We bid goodnight to the O'Dairs and Peeta turns to head to Prim's. I stop him by tugging on his hand.

"What? We have to go get the twins honey," he looks at me quizzically.

"I told Prim to keep them for the night," I state simply. "Let's go big boy. Time to finish what you started against the wall earlier."

I don't need to elaborate. He gets it. Within seconds, we're basically running back to our room, giggling and groping as we go.

Peeta puts the key in, but I keep distracting him by nibbling on his earlobe and grabbing his ass. Finally he gets the door open and basically shoves me inside. As soon as the door is closed my back is against it.

"You look so beautiful tonight," he mumbles between frantic kisses. "So fucking beautiful."

"You look pretty damn sexy yourself," I whisper, smirking.

"I want you so bad," he groans.

"Take me. Right here."

While I fumble with his belt buckle, he starts to slip my dress off.

"No," I shake my head vehemently. "Just take my panties off and fuck me. I'll get your cock out."

He immediately complies, sliding my panties down forcefully. I help him by stepping out of them, then I finally get his pants undone and we both pull them and his boxers down. I lift myself up and he grabs my thighs.

We don't waste a second. As soon as we're positioned, he slips inside me.

"Oh fuck," I moan as he pushes all the way in with gusto. I wrap my arms around his neck to hold on while he begins thrusting powerfully, slamming be up against the door with each thrust.

We go at it for a few exhilarating minutes before he secures his arms around me and brings us over to the couch. He lays me on my back, not once pulling out, and resumes his movements. He lifts my legs up higher, giving him a better angle, and I feel him even deeper inside me.

"Oh my god," I yell. "Oh baby right there. Please don't stop. It feels so fucking good. Fuck me Peeta. Fuck me!"

A moment later I climax, writhing under him and screaming his name while he somehow picks up his pace.

"Don't you dare stop," I warn.

"Couldn't even if I tried," he groans.

We gaze into each other's eyes as he slams into me, each thrust more powerful and possessive than the last.

He makes me come once more before he even starts approaching his own release.

"Fuck Kat I'm going to come," he tells me breathily. "Baby I'm going to come so fucking hard."

"Come wherever you want," I grant him.

"Pull your dress up," he asks. "I want to come all over your stomach."

"Please," I beg as I comply. "Please, I want to see you come all over me. I want to lick it up and taste you."

As he continues working towards his climax, I take the opportunity to slide my dress all the way up and slip it completely off, leaving me in just my bra.

"Pull out and shoot all over me," I direct. "I want to see if you can hit my face from there," I grin.

"I'm there baby," he moans after a minute.

He pulls out at the last second and strokes himself until he comes. He aims as he does, and the first few releases shoot out and one hits my chin. I giggle as he comes all over my bra and then my stomach, covering me in his warmth. I use my finger to collect the come on my chin, licking it clean. I reach up and clean his length with my fingers, then gather as much as I can from my body and look him dead in the eye while I taste him. The lust in his eyes is unmistakable.

"Oh my god," he groans. "You are so fucking hot."

"Mmm you're so fucking delicious," I moan.

"That was incredible," he smiles as we catch our breaths.

"Yup," I agree, nodding. "I love when you take me like that."

"Me too."

"But now that we've gotten that out of our systems, can we make love slowly in our bed?" I ask, a tad timid for some reason.

"Of course," he smiles wide. "First can we go cuddle for a bit?"

"Of course," I repeat. "Let me just, um, clean up a bit," I smirk. "You certainly drenched me."

"Sorry," he shrugs.

"Don't be," I grin. "I love it."

We stand up and start collecting the clothes we discarded along the way. Just as we're about to head to the bedroom, there's a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" I call.

"Annie and Finnick!" I hear Finnick answer on the other side of the door. "Can we come in?"

"NO!" I yell. "I mean, um, sorry guys. We're busy."

"Oh dear god," I hear Annie lament. "Again? Really?"

"I warned you," I remind her. "I can't keep my hands to myself. Apparently neither can my husband."

"Yeah but it's almost like if you're not doing anything, you're having sex. It's constant," Finnick says exasperatedly.

"Jealous?" I smirk at Peeta while we tease them.

"No," they both lie in unison.

"Liars!" Peeta accuses.

"Either way," I continue, "we're not opening the door. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Fine," Annie huffs.

They leave and I turn to Peeta.

"See? I knew we could get them more jealous."

**A/N: Shorter chapter today, sorry. I've been fairly busy since I've gotten out of the hospital, dealing with doctors, meetings, etc. **

**I'll try starting the next chapter of 'Top Of The World' tonight, but it most likely won't be posted until sometime tomorrow. I've decided that I am indeed going to continue it with a sequel, but I'm not sure yet when I'll be ending the current story. **

**This story, however, is starting to come to a close. The third installment, currently untitled, will deal with the Mellarks going home to 12 and rebuilding their lives and the country. Hopefully everyone will keep reading and reviewing, and the amazing support I've had throughout will continue. I wouldn't feel so comfortable writing two more stories if I didn't know I'd be getting the support I am. That's all thanks to you, the readers. So thank you. **

**Thanks as always for reading and reviewing. Keep it up! Please!**

**Ta ta for now. Who is everyone rooting for in the Super Bowl? I'm not sure, I'm not invested in either of the teams. Though I think it would be nice to see the Niners pull out a win. Plus the Ravens beat my G-Men in the Super Bowl back in '01. **


	36. The Nut

_**Fair Warning: You guessed it, there's sex in this chapter. Enjoy. Or don't. Your choice. **_

"Operation is a go. You have the green light."

We're in Command, watching the carefully planned raid on The Nut unfold on a myriad of screens. We have overhead coverage from drones, both thermal and high-definition video. We're tapped into the team's communications, and we're able to directly talk to them if needed. They also are wearing new cameras that Beetee designed on their helmets. They're virtually invisible and look like an integral part of the helmet.

It's tense in the room, to say the least. It's late at night, almost two in the morning. We decided to attack in the dead of night for a few reasons. The most obvious, of course, is the lack of light. There's less security as well, and right around now is when fatigue kicks in on the graveyard shift.

There are only a few people here directing the operation. Me, Peeta, Haymitch, Finnick, Annie, Beetee, Johanna and General Quentin are all seated one on side of a long table, the screens opposite us.

We watch in silence as the team approaches using the rear access route we discovered. So far they've gone undetected, which bodes well. We theorized that the most dangerous part is now, when they're still outside. Once they're in, their uniforms, which are authentic ones we took off of captured soldiers, should help blend them in well enough to evade suspicion.

"At the first door," Lieutenant Manning softly informs us. "Jackson, you're up."

Jackson is the team's technology expert. According to Beetee, he's one of the best we have in the field. He and Beetee spent all week designing a device that will circumvent The Nut's security systems, allowing the team to slip inside without setting off any alarms.

He steps up to the door, and we watch on his helmet cam as he attaches the device to the keypad. He taps a few quick buttons and the light goes green, the door clicking open.

"We're in," he whispers.

He backs up and lets Sergeant Smithson, the team's 'door-crasher', enter first. There's one guard posted inside the door, and luckily he has his back turned. Smithson draws his knife and I look away momentarily as he covers the guard's mouth with his hand and silently slits his throat. Smithson scans with his rifle, motions the all-clear sign, and the rest of the team enter, the last man covering the rear. Smithson and Jackson drag the now dead guard into a closet and stuff him in. By the time someone finds him, The Nut will either be ours or destroyed. He's not scheduled to be relieved until 0800.

Now we're restricted to helmet cams if we want to watch the team. The drone is still circling high above, keeping over-watch, but can't see inside The Nut. It's steel reinforcements are too thick to penetrate visually.

They methodically begin moving through the hallways, now acting like they belong. They pass an occasional few soldiers who don't even give them a second glance. Manning and Smithson lead, and chat casually like they're good friends (which I'm sure they really are).

Manning directs the team to the lower levels towards where we believe the ventilation system's controls are based. If they can, and it's looking more and more like they will be able to, they'll gas the entire compound and take it over peacefully.

After ten minutes, they find what they're looking for. Manning leaves two of his men to guard the door as they enter the room. Removing the cans of gas we've provided them with, they first all put on their gas masks, including the two in the hallway. The only part of the compound they're not going to subdue with gas is where the civilians are. At night, there are only three guards at the entrance to that area, so we've directed them to take out those guards after gaining control of the military installation.

They pop the cans open and toss them into the pipes, the natural flow of the system doing the job of carrying the gas throughout the complex.

"Five minutes until the effects take complete control," Manning announces. "Mark."

All the men synchronize their watches and wait patiently.

After five minutes, they leave the control room and head towards the command center. When they pass the first few bodies in the hallway, they check to make sure the people are still alive and have pulses, which they do. They make sure to confiscate any weapons they find, and tie everyone up with hog-ties and flex-cuffs.

They make it to the command center and don't let down their guard for a second. We don't yet have control of the surveillance system, so we don't know if the people inside have succumbed to the gas like everyone else.

Not fooling around, Smithson kicks the door in with his boot and they clear the room with precision.

I let out a breathe of relief when it becomes obvious that nobody is conscious except our team. They once again confiscate weapons and tie everyone up.

As soon as we tap into the surveillance system and have complete control, I give the go-ahead for the reinforcements to head to The Nut. Once they arrive and take control, we'll have delivered a crippling blow to Snow's war effort. I wish I could see the look on his face when he finds out. Maybe Beetee can help with that, I chuckle to myself.

The reinforcements arrive as planned, twenty tense minutes after I gave the order. The commander, a Colonel, meets up with Manning in the command center and relives him.

"Lieutenant, move to the civilian complex," I order over the radio.

"Yes ma'am," he radios back, and quickly relays the order to his men.

"And Lieutenant? Good job," I add.

I watch the feed from Smithson's camera, which is focused on Manning, and see the look of pride on his face when I commend him.

"Thank you General," he crisply replies. "Move out," he orders his team.

It takes them a little while to make it to the civilian complex, given the sheer size of The Nut.

Finally they're literally around the corner from the door. As we predicted, there are three guards outside the door. Jackson uses a snake-cam to peek around the corner. One of the guards is seated behind a bank of monitors, and two are on either side of the door, all three armed with rifles and pistols.

He uses hand signals to tell Manning what he sees. Manning nods, thinks for a split-second, then relays his plan to the team using hand signals.

Smithson, Manning, and a Corporal named Reardon ready their silenced pistols. Manning uses his fingers to count down from three to one.

At one, the three of them step out from behind the corner, quickly take aim, and fire. The guards never had a chance. All three are dead instantly with shots between the eyes. Our soldiers step up and double-tap each of them in the chest just to be sure.

Now comes the part that had me nervous. We have no idea where the civilians' loyalties lie. They have taken refuge at a military installation of the Capitol, but that doesn't mean they support them. It most likely seemed the safest place to be during the war.

Either way, we're almost positive that none of the civilians are armed. That would be too dangerous, and the Capitol would have relieved them of any arms when they arrived. Hopefully.

We give the go-ahead for them to enter. Manning opens the door and a hallway is revealed. At the end is another huge set of double-doors. When those swing open, we gasp.

There must be at least 5,000 civilians all packed into one huge cavernous room. It looks like it used to be some kind of airplane hanger, but now it's lined from end to end with cots, dotted with portable toilets and showers and tables with food. Most of the lights are out, as most everyone is asleep.

"Now what?" Haymitch asks everyone.

"I have an idea," I throw out. Everyone turns to me, and we open the link to the team so they can hear as well. "Why don't we wake them up and inform them what's going on? We should assure them that none of them are in any trouble and they're welcome to stay there or come to 13 if they want. Or go home if that's possible."

"Should we really wake them in the middle of the night? Why don't we wait until morning?" Peeta suggests.

"I know I wouldn't want to be woken up abruptly like that for any reason," Johanna informs.

"Let's wait until morning," Haymitch makes the decision. "I'll address them over the PA. Actually, Beetee, can you set up some kind of video link so they can see me?"

"Of course," Beetee nods and immediately starts typing on his laptop furiously, talking to Jackson over the radio.

"Lieutenant Manning, I'm going to have the Colonel send a team over to take over guarding the civilians," I radio. "You and your team have done a spectacular job. Congratulations. You've just successfully infiltrated one of the most impregnable installations in Panem, incapacitated the entirety of the military stationed there, and did it all without a single casualty to our men. Well done."

"Thank you General," he answers firmly.

"As soon as you're relieved you are to board a hovercraft and return to 13," I continue. "When you arrive, you'll be debriefed and then I'm ordering you and your team to take a week off. Spend it with your families and friends. That's an order."

"Yes ma'am!" The whole team replies happily.

_Five Hours Later_

Peeta and I only got a couple hours of sleep. The combination of the stress of running the mission, the long hours we've been up, and taking care of the twins has drained us. We have one more thing to do before we can really head back and collapse to sleep for two weeks straight. Prim is taking care of the kids, as she could tell how exhausted we are.

We're now back in Command. The sleeping gas has worn off, and as the Capitol's soldiers began waking up, they realized they'd been defeated. A few tried to resist, but they were tied up so all it amounted to was some vulgar yelling and struggling.

Our Colonel, who's in charge on the ground, has gathered all the high-ranking Capitol officers and seated them in a line in the command center. Beetee has linked us in via videoconferencing. Haymitch is in another room addressing the civilians. It's Peeta's and my job to talk to the military officers.

"Good morning," I greet them. Some of them are staring back at me, some have their heads down. "I'm sure it was quite a shock waking up and finding you are now prisoners of war. If you're uncomfortable in any way I apologize, but I'm sure you realize why you're being restrained. Now, which one of you is the commanding officer?"

"I am," an older man responds. He's right in the middle of the line. "General Thad Wreston."

"Hello General," I nod. "It's nice to meet you. I assume you know who I am?"

"You're that traitorous bitch Katniss Everdeen."

"My name is General Katniss Mellark," I reply calmly. I have no need of anger right now. We're in complete control of the situation. "You may address me as General Mellark."

"When Snow finds out what you've done you're all dead," he warns. "You can't escape the Capitol."

I actually laugh out loud, and Peeta looks at me quizzically.

"He's already tried to kill me," I shrug, "multiple times. First he threw me in the Arena, but my husband and I survived. Then he tried to assassinate both of us at various times, including attempting to capture our friends to draw us out, but failed each time. So you'll excuse me if I don't shake in my boots."

"You think you're tough, huh? Little girl playing war? Let me out of these cuffs and I'll show you what war really is," he threatens.

I roll my eyes.

"You have a lot of bravado," I tell him. "That's commendable in your current situation. Unfortunately, as you are now a prisoner, you're going to have to get used to wearing cuffs. Since you are a military officer, we will convene a Tribunal to debate your crimes."

"I'll be back on the front lines in a week," he predicts. "The Capitol won't stand for this. We'll take The Nut back, of that you can be sure."

"Really?" I reply sarcastically. "Tell me General, where is the bulk of the Capitol's elite forces currently stationed?"

"The Nut," he answers.

"Oh," I feign, "I guess it's a good thing that we captured every single soldier stationed there, huh baby?" I turn to Peeta. He chuckles. "General Mellark, please inform General Wreston of the most recent developments involving his men."

"Yes General," Peeta smirks. "General Wreston, so far, five hundred and sixty-six of your men have willingly defected to our side, and it's only been roughly five hours since we captured them. More are joining our ranks by the minute. You see, if given the choice, the common soldier knows that we're the ones who are fighting for the right cause. We're the ones trying to bring freedom back to Panem, to give the power back to the people."

That leaves Wreston virtually speechless. He opens his mouth, no doubt to spew some snarky comeback, but nothing emits.

"Very well," I sigh. "General, you and your staff will be remanded back to District 13 to face charges. Colonel, please make sure these men make their flight."

"Yes ma'am!"

After a few more minutes of administrative procedures, we're finally finished. Peeta and I both exhale when the screen shuts off. It's been a hell of a long week, especially the last twenty-four hours.

"Are you okay?" Peeta gently asks, concerned.

I nod and he looks he doesn't believe it for a second. He just opens his arms and I fall into them, burying my face in his chest. I'm just spent, physically and emotionally.

"We did good," he whispers, kissing the top of my head.

"I know," I mumble against his uniform.

"Want to get something to eat?"

"Yeah," I nod, realizing how hungry I am.

We walk hand-in-hand to the cafeteria, and find it filling up with people going about the start of their days.

Grabbing some food on our trays, we find our friends all sitting at a table.

"Morning," I yawn as I greet them, sitting down next to Peeta.

"Morning," they nod back.

We're all too tired to do much of anything except eat. Even Finnick and Johanna remain quiet when they'd normally be teasing and joking.

"Where are the kids?" Annie asks.

"Prim's," I answer. "She has the day off."

"Oh okay," she says sadly.

"You can go over there Annie," I smile. "Nobody's stopping you."

"Really?" She perks up.

"Yes, really," I roll my eyes. "You are their aunt after all."

"Thanks Katniss."

"Anytime Annie."

We finish eating and Peeta and I head back to our place, intent on crawling into bed.

"I feel like the walking dead," Peeta mutters as we close the door.

"Me too," I agree.

"Bath before bed?" He suggests.

"Start the water," I nod.

He disappears into the bathroom and I hear the faucet turn on. I go into the kitchen and grab a bottle of wine and two glasses. We lifted the ban on alcohol weeks ago, but we still tightly control its purchase and consumption.

Entering the bathroom, I find my husband waiting for me, testing the water's temperature. We silently strip together until we're both naked, and he climbs in first. I follow, sitting between his legs, backing up to his chest. I pour us each a glass of wine and we quietly sip.

"You did great today Kat," he whispers, softly kissing my ear and neck.

"Thanks baby," I smile, blushing. "You too."

"I'm not the one who ran the op," he points out. "That was my gorgeous wife."

"Who couldn't have done it without her handsome husband by her side," I retort.

"Fair enough," he admits.

After we finish our wine we slowly, gently, lather one another and wash every inch of our skin. He spends a while washing my hair, and I don't mind one bit. He even massages my scalp, which he knows relaxes me immensely. I return the favor by massaging his stump carefully, ending it with my ritualistic kisses.

By the time we're done washing, we're both getting quite aroused.

"I'm really tired," I sigh, "but a huge part of me really wants to make love right now."

"I'm going to have to agree with that statement," he grins.

I can already feel his erection pressed up against my butt, and I soon feel his warm hand sliding down my torso and under the waterline until he slips a finger inside me.

"Ohh," I moan as he kisses my neck and shoulder.

After a few minutes of pumping his finger into me, he retrieves it and licks it clean while staring me in the eyes.

"As always, delicious," he smirks.

"My turn," I smirk back.

I turn so I'm facing him, straddling his legs.

I use both my hands, darting them under the water and grasping his rock hard cock. I begin twisting and stroking, alternating hands cupping his balls as I go.

He reaches up and pulls my head down until our lips meet, and I can taste the residual juices in his mouth. It makes me crave his come.

"Baby sit up on the edge of the tub," I plead.

"Why?"

"I want to taste you," I reply seriously.

He smiles and I help him maneuver so his crotch is in my face. Once it's above the water, I quickly take his cock in my mouth and begin sliding it in and out, bobbing my head accordingly.

I feel his hand on top of my head, coaxing me along, keeping it in place. Like I'd want to be anywhere else right now. Come on Peeta.

"Oh my god," he groans, "that feels so fucking good."

"Come all over me," I tell him. "Cover me."

"Oh yeah," he replies happily.

A few minutes later, I speed up as I can tell from his moans that he's fast approaching climax.

"Fuck Kat I'm there," he warns.

I stroke furiously with my hand, using my other to massage his balls, until he finally releases.

I open my mouth and a good portion of his come lands inside, while it also drenches my cheeks, eyelids, and even my boobs. Keeping my eyes closed, I lick the tip of his cock and he audibly shudders. I giggle, almost spilling his come out of my mouth. I use my fingers to clean my face off, depositing it directly into the pooled come already in my mouth. My boobs are big enough from the twins that I can lift them up and lick them dry, and I make sure he sees every second of it. When I'm positive I have collected everything I can, I tilt up, show him, and swallow.

"Mmmm," I moan, "as always, delicious," I repeat his sentiment. He smiles and shakes his head in awe.

"You drive me crazy when you do that," he mumbles happily.

"I know," I grin. "I happen to enjoy it, probably more than you."

"I doubt that."

I snort and giggle and he chuckles.

"Now get back in this tub and fuck your wife," I order solemnly.

"Yes ma'am," he smiles.

Once he's back in the tub with me, he flips me over and puts me on my back, swiftly entering me as he slides up.

"Fuck you're huge," I groan.

"I'm not even fully hard yet," he informs me.

"You're going to rip me in half," I say seriously.

"You mean like this?" He teases as he thrusts powerfully.

"Fuck!" I almost yell. "Yes, exactly like that!"

"Sorry," his eyes widen, thinking he hurt me.

"Don't you dare stop!" I demand. "Harder! Fuck me Peeta, fuck me harder!"

He listens and resumes his powerful, possessive, animalistic thrusting, quickly bringing me to an explosive orgasm. I writhe under him, begging him alternately to keep going and go even deeper. He grabs my hips and slams into me, somehow going further inside me than I thought possible.

I come once more before he tells me he's about to reach his second orgasm.

"Where do you want to come this time?" I ask between moans.

"Inside you," he quickly answers.

"Then you have to kiss me," I require.

"Deal."

True to his word, I feel him blow his load while his lips are attached to mine, our tongues dancing and intertwining. His last couple thrusts into me are so powerful they cause me to climax yet again, and even though he's already came, he keeps pounding into me to prolong my own orgasm.

"Wow," I sigh as he collapses on top of me.

I wrap my arms around him and bring him close, kissing and nibbling on his earlobe.

"Well done," I whisper in his ear. "Mission accomplished."

He chuckles and buries his face into my neck, softly kissing it.

After a minute we maneuver around so I'm lying on top of him, which is easier for both of us.

"We should get out before we fall asleep," I suggest. "I hate waking up in cold water."

"Definitely," he nods.

We get out of the tub and dry each other off meticulously. We only have the energy to put on underwear before we collapse on our bed together. Peeta somehow manages to get both of us under the covers.

"Oh I almost forgot to tell you," I say before we fall asleep. "The results from the referendums came in."

In the chaos of the governmental transition, we were forced to postpone the public referendums on Coin's loyal officer's sentences. Once things calmed down, we had every citizen who wanted to in 13 and all the liberated Districts vote. The choices included their current sentence, life in prison without parole; life in prison with the possibility of parole in thirty years time; immediate pardons, commuting their sentences and giving them credit for time served; and execution in the same manner as Coin.

"And?" Peeta asks curiously.

We've discussed this between us extensively, and both agreed that while taking a life is never pleasant nor is it easy, the crimes these men perpetrated certainly warranted a death sentence. They were directly responsible for numerous operations that we de-classified wherein innocent civilians were killed. They casually refer to it in the reports as 'necessary collateral damage'. The scary thing is that in almost every instance, they had an option that would have minimized not only civilian casualties, but casualties in both armies. While serving life in prison is quite a severe punishment, there are thousands of people who aren't alive today because of these men's actions. There are thousands of families mourning the unnecessary, heartbreaking, easily avoidable loss of their loved ones.

"In every case, the people voted overwhelmingly for execution," I evenly reveal.

"Oh," Peeta says, processing. "That's what we wanted, right?"

"I thought so," I admit. "But now that it's decided, I'm not so sure."

"This is the way I look at it," he explains gently. "What if Prim or one of my brothers, or even one of our friends died because of a decision these men made. Would we be okay with them living the rest of their lives while our family or friends are in the ground? I'm not trying to be vengeful, or exact revenge, but if, god forbid, you were taken from me, I wouldn't want whoever was responsible to live another day."

I think about what he's saying. Without a doubt, if anyone I loved was taken from me, I wouldn't stop until whoever did it, no matter their role, paid the price. I can't ever imagine life without Peeta, it's so scary to me that I try and avoid thinking about it at all costs. But the reality is that now, more than ever, Peeta and I are extremely high-value targets to the Capitol. Not only are we the symbols of the Rebellion, we're also now decision makers. If Peeta was taken from me, I'd personally go find whoever had a hand in it and destroy them piece by piece.

"You're right," I finally admit. "Those families need closure. They need to know that their loved ones didn't die in vain, and that's just another reason we have to win this war."

"We took a huge step in that direction today," Peeta says. "We now control their biggest, most important military base. We captured thousands, and are already getting hundreds of the soldiers to defect to our side."

"What happened with the civilians?" I ask. We'd been so focused on transitioning The Nut to our control that I hadn't had time to read the reports.

"From what I heard from Haymitch, when they realized that it was us now in control, they cheered. Apparently they almost mobbed our soldiers in joy, thanking them for liberating them. We've begun debriefing them, and apparently our Propos are having a huge effect in the Districts."

"That's good to hear," I smile softly.

"Yep," he nods. "And a lot of them are now able to return home because we've liberated their Districts in the time since they fled to The Nut. The rest are coming here, and most of the young boys and men, and a lot of women, have expressed their desire to join the army."

"That's great news. We can use all the help we can get."

"I briefly talked to Quentin before we videoconferenced, and the amount of sheer intelligence and weaponry we captured is beyond the scale of anything we've ever seen. We have all of their current troop placements. They apparently left a map right on the conference table in the command center."

"Idiots," I grin.

We're much more careful than that. All of our sensitive data is locked away, and we access most of what we need using computers that are coded to our DNA and have layers of encryption. We specifically have protocols to avoid just that, having sensitive intel fall into enemy hands. Ever since Francis and Coin were revealed to be traitors, we've increased the security surrounding not only physical data, but virtual as well.

"I'm exhausted," Peeta yawns wide, causing me to do the same.

"You could say that again."

"I'm exhausted," he smiles. I roll my eyes and he takes the opportunity to give me a quick peck on the lips. "Goodnight honey."

"Goodnight baby. Or rather, good morning. I love you."

"I love you too."

We drift off to sleep in each other's arms, resolute that we'll only get out of bed for an emergency or when at least twelve hours have gone by.

**A/N: Apologies on how long it took me to post this chapter. If you haven't checked it out yet, I've begun the sequel to 'Top Of The World'. It's titled 'Not All Who Wander Are Lost' (a quote from one of my favorite books, **_**'The Hobbit'**_**). I've been really excited about it, so for the last few days I've been concentrating on that. I promise the next chapter won't take as long as this one. **

**If you haven't read my new story, make sure you read the prequel first. It's a modern day AU so it might be confusing to pick it up without knowing everything that happened to our characters before the second story begins. **

**Thanks as always for reading and reviewing! Keep it up!**


	37. The Bottle

The success of the mission to overtake The Nut has reenergized the District. One of the most exciting results is the number of volunteers for the army has increased dramatically, especially with new arrivals. We've had to create a number of 'boot camps' to augment the ones we already had running.

Now we're beginning to focus most of our efforts on eventually attacked the Capitol directly. Coin had begun planning for it, but as we've found out, most of it was for show. She never truly intended to go through with it, at least not with victory in mind. She used the threat of war and terrorism to rule with an iron fist. Her government used fear to control the population, and if the war ended, she'd lose that power.

It's a complicated task to say the least. The Capitol is high in the mountains, making it extremely difficult for us to gain any surprise in our attack. Now that we control The Nut, however, we've dealt a crippling blow to their defense system.

I never thought planning something like this would be so utterly tedious. We have to plan for every possible situation and outcome. We have to create contingency plans for our contingency plans. I refuse to send our soldiers in without giving them the best chance we can to survive, to come home to their families. Peeta and I are lucky – we don't have to fight on the front lines. We get to go home to our kids every night. Although I realize it's not the best motivator, my guilt that stems from our current status as non-combatants drives me to become almost obsessive about minimizing casualties.

What's surprised me is how concerned I also am about trying to kill as few enemy soldiers as possible. We've captured thousands, and found out that the majority of them were pressed or forced into service. They don't agree with Snow's principles nor do they really want to fight us. That doesn't mean, however, that every single Capitol soldier can be persuaded to switch sides. The officer corps is overwhelmingly loyal to Snow. We've had to build new prisons in the liberated Districts to hold them until we can form proper military courts to try them, which we likely won't be able to do until after the war. Provided we prevail, of course.

Peeta and I spend our days poring over intelligence briefings and troop placement maps. We've gathered any and all schematics of the Capitol we could find. We have blueprints for most of the buildings, the sewer system, the road system, and government facilities.

When Coin began 'planning' this operation, her idea was to lay siege to the Capitol. Surround it on all sides, cutting it off from the rest of the country. Then, sit back and wait while the people stuck in the city slowly ran out of supplies and starved to death.

When we took over, we commissioned a group of officers, quartermasters, doctors, engineers, and experts in various fields to study the proposed siege plan and create a report on the feasibility of it.

Their findings were unanimous. It would take at least a year, minimum, until the Capitol would start to run low on stockpiled food, water, and ammunition.

We simply don't have the time. We can't spend a year sitting around waiting for them to surrender. Chances are even with innocent civilians dying in the streets from starvation, Snow would refuse to capitulate. He'd either attempt escape or 'fight to the last man'. Neither of those are viable, or very appealing, options.

So, after careful consideration and consulting with seemingly dozens of experts, we've decided the best course of action is direct attack.

It will start with bombing runs in the dead of night. These are designed to soften the city's defenses, boost morale amongst our troops while demoralizing the Capitol's, and deprive the enemy of sleep. We haven't decided yet how long we'll bomb for. Our ideas range from as little as three days to as long as three weeks.

The next phase is the ground assault. First, we'll use hovercrafts to insert our special forces teams behind enemy lines, right into the city. They'll cause havoc, destroying munitions and food supplies, cutting communication lines, and a few teams will be on specialized missions whose goals will be the liquidation of high-ranking Capitol political figures and military officers. Then, the army will attack with conventional infantry. Hopefully the combination of the continued bombing and the special force's campaign will help hasten the battle's end.

Our standing order concerning Snow is to take him alive. Finnick's team led by Lt. Manning, the team that took The Nut, will be tasked with finding him. They'll hopefully be able to take him into custody. However, if their lives are directly threatened, they will be able to use deadly force to protect themselves if necessary. We'd like to take Snow alive, but not at the expense of our soldiers' lives.

Right now, we're planning on beginning the assault in a little less than a month. We need to give our soldiers time to rest up. We need to properly train the new recruits so we can field as many troops as possible. We need to hash out every single detail of the plan. It's cliché, sure, but failure is _not _an option. We didn't come this far just to be turned back when we reach the Capitol.

"I'm exhausted," I yawn, plopping my head down onto the conference table, drooling on the file in front of me.

"Honey you're drooling on a classified document," Peeta teases quietly. I hear the grin in his voice.

"I read it already," is my response. He laughs.

"We're almost done," he tries to appease. I snort derisively. "Give me fifteen minutes. I just need to finish writing this report. You can go now if you want."

"I'll wait for you," I mumble, still using the table as a pillow.

"Thanks."

He goes back to writing, and I watch him sideways from my position. I love the determined look he gets when he works. His eyes occasionally narrow when he's trying to remember something, then light up when he does. It's adorable.

True to his word, fifteen minutes later he tells me he's ready to go.

"Come on," he coaxes, rubbing my back softly.

"I'm just going to take a nap here," I mutter. He chuckles again.

"You can take a nap when we get to our room," he tells me. "If you get up in the next five seconds I'll even carry you right to our bed," he sing-songs.

It only takes me three seconds to stand up, and he immediately bends down and scoops me up in his arms bridal style. I wrap my arms around his neck and link my hands, resting my head on his chest. He kisses the top of my head.

We get some strange looks in the hall. We're both in uniform, so it must look funny to see a General carrying another General. Pretty much everyone here knows who we are, though, so it's not too bad.

"I like having my own personal servant," I tease, looking up at him and batting my eyelashes.

He rolls his eyes playfully.

"If I'm your 'servant', I'm afraid I'll be unable to sleep in your bed, ma'am," he says, mockingly serious.

"On the contrary," I say pompously, "if you're my servant, you do exactly what I say."

"As you wish madam."

I giggle and sigh happily.

"Kat should we get the kids from Finnick and Annie?" He asks as we approach our hall.

"I don't know," I answer honestly. "On one hand I miss them, but on the other I'm dually exhausted and wildly horny."

"Oh god," he mumbles, his eyes glazing over.

"Uh oh. I broke my husband again," I joke.

A couple minutes later I find my eyes drooping as we approach our door. By the time I hear Peeta's keys rattling in the lock I'm fading, and the next thing I know I'm fast asleep.

I wake up in our bed, under the covers, alone. Peeta even went through the trouble of changing me out of my uniform. I'm in my bra and panties, wearing one of my favorite shirts of his. Really, it should now be considered my shirt, as it hasn't been in his drawers since before we got married.

Glancing around the room, I notice two things. One, my husband is nowhere to be found. The bedroom door is closed, so he might be in the living room, but I can't see or hear anything. Second, the baby monitor is switched off. I'm not worried, not really, just a little confused.

Yawning, I stretch my arms out and clamber out of bed. Padding over to the door and opening it, I find the living room similarly void of my family. The door to the twin's room is closed as well.

I quietly turn the handle and slowly open the door. The lights are off, but the light from the living room seeps in as I open the door wider.

A smile instantly graces my face as I take in the scene.

The twins are asleep in their cribs, tucked in tight. Their daddy is also asleep, but he's in the rocking chair. I quickly deduce what happened while I was passed out.

Peeta put me to bed, even going so far as to change me without waking me, and tucked me in. Then, he went to Finnick and Annie's and got our children. He most likely changed and fed them before he put _them _to bed like their mother. Then, exhausted, he probably collapsed in the chair, meaning to watch the kids, and fell asleep himself.

I feel a bit guilty. Peeta has been working the exact same hours as me. I know he's as tired, if not more so, than me. When we get home at night, we try to share our chores equally, but inevitably he takes it upon himself to do more than I'd ask him to. It's just the way he's always been.

I lean against the doorframe, just taking a few moments to think about how lucky I am. I have the greatest husband in the world, and together we made two beautiful, perfect children. We work side by side, trying to make our country better, to improve the lives of every citizen, no matter where they live, who they are, or how wealthy they may be.

Now that we are running the war, we've been able to see up close the toll it takes on families. A majority of our soldiers have families, whether it's wives or husbands, parents, or siblings. We ask them to put their lives on the lines every day, to go on missions where we can't guarantee they'll return alive. We do this, and while their families wait and worry, we come home to our kids. Peeta and I both feel the same way about it – guilty. We understand that it's our jobs to do what we do, but that doesn't change the fact that we don't have to go out and fight. All of our friends assure us that our jobs are vitally important, that we're where we need to be. While we know this, it doesn't do much to help assuage our guilt.

That guilt that we both feel does have some benefits though. It's caused us to put the safety of our soldiers above everything else, making it the highest priority in everything we do. If we're planning a mission and we predict that it could result in a high casualty rate, we either find another way to do it or scrap it completely. While that sometimes hampers the war effort, we'd rather do that then send our troops on suicide missions. Also, it's manifested in Peeta and me working almost feverishly to end the war as quickly as possible. The faster we defeat the Capitol, the faster the fighting stops and we can begin to rebuild, to create a country rooted in freedom, free from oppression.

Suddenly I'm snapped out of my thoughts when Eve begins to rustle in her crib. Knowing her usual wake-up routine, I estimate I have thirty seconds before she starts wailing and wakes up her father and brother. I almost run over to her, reaching down and scooping her up into my arms.

She looks up at me with her father's eyes, the sleepiness in them evaporating when she recognizes me. I kiss her on her forehead gently and nestle her into my shoulder, quietly leaving the room and closing the door behind us.

I sit on the couch and rub her back softly. I feel her nuzzle into my neck and the soft, warm exhales of her breath tickle me.

"Did you have fun with Aunt Annie and Uncle Finnick?" I whisper. "I bet you did. I know how Uncle Finnick can make you laugh. He's a funny guy, isn't he baby?"

I really don't care that she can't understand me yet. It's cathartic to me to talk to her, and the gentle tone of my voice relaxes my daughter.

"Did your daddy feed you before you went to bed?" I ask. "He probably did, huh? You have the best daddy in the world, but you already knew that, didn't you Evey?"

I turn on the couch and lay back, resting my head on the edge. I shift Eve so she's lying on my chest, her head right under my chin. I kiss her dark hair that is almost identical to my own. I remember how jubilant Peeta got when he found out about the color of Eve's hair. When I asked him why he was so happy, he simply said, 'I already know she's going to be as beautiful as her mother, but this is just icing on the cake'. I know how he feels, considering how ecstatic I was when we discovered that Josh has Peeta's blonde hair.

I softly hum, still rubbing her back. I'm not really tired anymore, but she yawns adorably and lays her head down on my chest.

"I need you to do me a favor," I start whispering to her again. "In about sixteen, maybe seventeen years, boys are going to start to want to, well, let's say, take you out. I wouldn't doubt if it was earlier than that, as you're going to be so beautiful, but for your father's sake we'll say sixteen, okay? When that starts happening, I want you to be patient. There's a boy somewhere out there in the world that's perfect for you. He'll get you on every level. He'll treat you like the princess you are. He'll worship you, and not just for your looks. I was lucky, Eve. Your daddy found me when we were young, and he was so patient. He waited, and waited, and then I made him wait some more. But, he's told me, it was worth every second. That's what I want for you baby girl. I want you to be as happy as I am. I want you to find a boy just like your daddy. He'll be nice, kind, polite, humble, modest, selfless, loving, tender, giving, brave, strong, resilient, patient, and a few other things I can't talk to you about until you're older. Much, much older. And, of course, like your daddy, he'll be so very handsome."

I didn't notice the tears streaking down my cheeks until I stop rambling. Obviously, they're tears of unfettered joy, as I tell my daughter about the wonderful father she has, and how I want the same for her someday.

"Handsome, huh?"

I look up, and Peeta's grinning at me in the doorway, his hands in his pockets casually.

"How," I swallow hard, "how long have you been standing there?"

"Just since you told Eve to find a 'boy just like your daddy'."

My gaze shifts back down to Eve.

"I want that for her, Peeta. I want her to find someone like you. Someone to complete her, to challenge her to do her best, to rise to her full potential, like you do for me."

"I want Josh to find a girl just like his mother," he tells me, smiling wide.

"Why would you want that?" I ask seriously. "You want him to find a cold, short-tempered, socially awkward girl who violently kills animals?"

"No," he shakes his head as he walks toward the couch. He kneels next to it, placing one hand on Eve's back and one cupping my cheek. "I want him to find a loving, beautiful, smart, loyal, fierce, talented, courageous, dedicated, altruistic, selfless girl just like his mother, who doesn't take crap from anybody. I want him to find a girl who, like his mommy, will defend her family above all else."

I'm blown away by his words. It's silly, I realize, considering he compliments me almost everyday. But it strikes me how differently he sees me. It always has. Even when he only knew from afar, before we really met when we got thrown together at the reaping, he still saw the good in me. He told me, in no uncertain terms, that I was the bravest person he'd ever met, for the simple fact that as an eleven-year-old, I provided for my family.

"I love you." It's the only thing I can think of to say, but by the wide, gorgeous smile on his face it was apparently the right thing to say.

"I love you too."

He leans up and kisses me sweetly, ending it before I'd like.

Josh wakes up soon thereafter, and we're right back to infant care. It's become routine, and we honestly don't mind it. Any time we spend with our kids is perfect, no matter what we're doing. Even if we're elbows deep in poop and vomit. Actually, especially if we're elbows deep in poop and vomit. Parenthood does strange things to people.

Finally, they fall back asleep as infants often do, and we tuck them in. Peeta runs to the cafeteria to get some food for us while I stay and watch the kids.

He returns and we eat together at the kitchen table, holding hands. I don't know why, but for as long as I can remember, if we have a free hand while we're eating, they automatically find one another. Sometimes we're holding the twins, so we're unable to, but that's fine. But only in that situation.

A few hours later, it's almost time for us to head to dinner. We're supposed to meet everyone there as usual. I go into our bathroom to freshen up.

I remember that it's the day of the month I'm scheduled to take my birth control. I open the medicine cabinet and grab my pill bottle.

I stare at the label. It reads:

_Katniss Mellark_

_District 12_

_Birth Control_

_10mg_

_Take One Pill Once Monthly As Prescribed To Prevent Pregnancy_

_Dr. Sutherland, MD_

I sigh. Peeta and I have been talking a lot lately about having more kids. We both want to, but we agreed months ago to wait. Our excuses were that the twins are still really young, and we're right in the middle of the war.

Granted, we made that decision before we became non-combatants. The only time we've been in real danger was when we went on our impromptu rescue mission and when Francis tried to kill Peeta.

If I got pregnant today, the kids would be around a year old when I would be due to give birth. Could we really handle that many babies? We certainly have a large support system around us. We've never struggled at all to find a babysitter. Actually, we've had to, on many occasions, _let _our friends take the twins when we weren't even in need of someone to watch them.

My inner monologue is interrupted when I feel my husband's arms wrap around my waist from behind. He rests his chin on my shoulder and our gazes meet in the mirror.

"What are you thinking about?" He asks gently, looking down at the bottle in my hands.

"I'm due to take a birth control pill today," I explain evenly.

"Oh," his eyes widen. "Do you, um, do you want to?"

"Do I want to what?" I ask for clarification.

"Do you want to take one?" He answers, slightly nervous and shy.

"I really don't know," I shrug. "I know we talked about this before the twins were born, but everything's different now."

"I know," he nods, kissing my shoulder and neck softly.

"It's not even guaranteed I'd get pregnant right away. Dr. Sutherland said it would take a few weeks to flush out of my system when I stopped taking them."

"I remember."

"What do you think?" I ask, nervous as can be.

"I think that I want nothing more to have more children with you. But we're still in the middle of a war. It's definitely going our way now, but we have no idea how much longer it'll go on."

I nod in understanding.

"Now that doesn't mean I'm against trying, not at all," he goes on. "We're safer now than we've ever been since coming here. Our jobs don't put us in danger, and the medical care here is top notch."

"Could we handle three babies?" It's the question that's been burning a hole in my brain for weeks, if not months.

"I think we could," he says confidently. "I'd say that even if we didn't have seemingly a hundred people always asking us to let them help. I'd say we're pretty good parents, wouldn't you?"

"I guess," I answer unsurely.

He rolls his eyes teasingly.

"It's okay to admit, Kat."

"We're good parents," I nod.

"Better," he jokes. He chuckles and I giggle. He gives me a kiss on the cheek. "Ultimately, it's your choice baby. It's your body. You're the one who'd have to be pregnant for another nine months. You're the one who'd go through labor again. I'll be right next to you the whole way, but I have no illusions about who carries most of the burden."

"Thank you," I respond gratefully. "I'd never want to make this decision without you being fully on board either way. We're married Peeta, and we're both our children's parents."

"So what do you want to do?" He motions to the bottle still in my hands.

I take a deep breath and let it out.

"I honestly haven't the faintest idea," I admit.

"Well would it hurt to put it off for twenty-four hours so you, I mean we, can think about it?"

"It shouldn't," I shrug. "If it would take weeks to flush out, one day probably won't hurt."

"We probably shouldn't have sex until we decide," he realizes sadly.

"Fuck that," I immediately say. "I just won't let you come inside me."

His eyes widen and I smirk triumphantly.

"I guess you'll have to settle coming all over my face, or my tits, or right into my mouth."

His face goes beet red and I giggle.

"You know, I don't think we've tried you coming all over my ass. Why don't we give that a shot?"

"Um, okay?" He stutters.

I reach behind me and under my shirt. I grab my panties and slide them down my thighs. I lift my shirt up, revealing my now naked ass to him.

"I kind of meant right now, baby. Come on, next thing I want to feel is your cock in my pussy."

"Oh god yes," he mumbles happily.

"Maybe this decision won't be that hard after all," I smile as I feel him enter me.

_**A/N: I'm sorry I didn't write the smut scene at the end. I just got too tired. If you want me to, I'll continue it at the beginning of the next chapter. Just let me know in the reviews. I know some people like smut more than others, so I don't want to do something that people won't like to read. **_

_**If you haven't already, please check out my new story, the sequel to 'Top Of The World'. It's entitled 'Not All Who Wander Are Lost'. That's a quote from The Hobbit. Someone wrote in the reviews that they thought it was from Lord Of The Rings, which it is, but I believe The Hobbit was written before LOTR by Tolkein. I could be wrong though. If you do go read it, make sure you read 'Top Of The World' first, or else you'll probably be pretty lost. Ha ha. **_

_**Thanks, as always, for reading and reviewing! Please keep it up! I read every review, so if you give me a suggestion, and I like it, it will most likely end up in the story. An example of this is in the latest chapter of 'Not All Who Wander Are Lost', where one of my readers suggested a way to integrate a secondary character into the storyline. I loved the idea, so I used it. **_

_**PLEASE REVIEW! It's the only payment I get for writing!**_

_**This might be mean, but boy am I glad I moved to Florida. If I was back up north in my hometown in Connecticut, I'd be sitting in the dark with no power and no heat. I feel bad for everyone who's buried in snow right now! **_


	38. The Decision

_**Back By Popular Request, Everlark Smut!**_

I lift my arms up and Peeta quickly grabs the hem of my shirt, lifting it up and off me. I'm left in my bra and panties, which are now halfway down my thighs.

His hands come around me and start fondling my breasts. He almost violently rips my bra down, exposing my hard nipples. I watch with fascination in the mirror as he tweaks them, causing me to groan loudly.

I have to hold on to the edge of the sink because of the ferocity with which he's pounding into me. Each time he slides all the way in, he almost lifts me off the floor. One of his hands leaves my boobs and comes to rest on my hip, aiding his thrusts. I try to match his movements with my own, maximizing both our pleasures.

His mouth has barely left my neck and shoulder, nibbling and gently biting. I throw my head back in ecstasy, moaning his name loudly.

"Turn me around," I plead after a few minutes. "Turn me around and sit me on the counter."

He immediately complies, pulling out. I whimper when he does, but he spins me around quickly and picks me up effortlessly. He plops me down on the counter and pulls me back towards him a few inches. He pulls my panties down and off, tossing them over his shoulder. I tightly wrap my legs around him, locking my ankles in the small of his back.

I reach out and grab his erection, guiding it towards my entrance.

"I want to watch you fuck me," I say quietly. He smiles.

I gaze down as he enters me, his cock glistening with the results of my orgasm. He pulls back until he's almost pulled out, and pushes back in, then repeats as he gets into a rhythm.

As we work each other into a frenzy, I come twice more before he's even near his own climax. At one point, he pulls out, and before I can protest I feel his lips and tongue between my legs. He flicks my clit until I'm almost screaming. I slap my hand over my mouth, aware that our quarters are most certainly not soundproof. His tongue darts inside me, his lips firmly planted on my folds.

"Oh my god baby," I breathe. "Please get back inside me. Please."

He doesn't utter a single word, just stands back up and stuffs me again.

Finally, his thrusts begin to get harder and deeper, each more powerful than the last, and I know he's on the verge of coming.

"I'm going to burst," he informs me.

I can see he's waiting for me to instruct him on where I'd like him to come.

"You already forgot?" I tease. "Turn me back around."

The light bub in his head glows, and he smirks as he quickly spins me around.

He slides back in for the last couple thrusts, then I feel him pull out.

"All over my ass baby," I goad.

I turn my head and see him stroking himself furiously. Then he comes, and the first couple streams make it halfway up my back before he literally drenches my lower back and my butt.

"Oh god," he groans, his eyes sliding shut as he hits his peak.

I smile at how happy he looks. I reach my hand back and every so lightly trace my finger up and down his length, gathering any stray warm come. He watches as I suck my entire finger down clean. Then I proceed to use my finger again to get as much of it off my ass and back as possible.

"Can I take a picture of this?" He half-jokes. I giggle. I can only imagine what I look like.

"Unless you have a camera hidden somewhere on your body, you're not going anywhere," I answer, grinning.

"Fair enough," he grins back.

I almost yelp when I feel him enter me again from behind, surprising me when he slides all the way in again.

"What're you doing? Not that I don't mind or anything."

"I just needed to be inside you for a little longer," he admits sheepishly.

"Fine by me," I smile over my shoulder at him.

He pulls out again, and I'm about to turn around so I can kiss him when he firmly keeps me in place.

"What?" I'm confused.

That is, until his hand darts around my torso, down my stomach, and right to my still quivering pussy. He slips two finger in me and starts pumping.

"Holy shit," I groan. "Don't you dare stop."

Like him moments ago, my eyes slide shut in pure ecstasy. His other hand quickly finds my breast, fondling and tweaking my nipple interchangeably. I feel his chin on my shoulder and open my eyes, looking at us through the mirror.

It arouses me even more to see us in the moment like this. I've never seen him finger me from this angle. I've only ever looked down my body, unable to make much out. But seeing it in full view is different, exciting, and it speeds up my impending orgasm.

"Oh baby I'm going to come," I inform him, whimpering.

"Let it go Kat," he coaxes gently in my ear. "Let me hold you while you come."

His words, like mine when it's him on the receiving end, send me right over the cliff I was teetering on.

I come hard and fast, Peeta accordingly pumping deeper, harder, and faster to prolong my climax.

When he finally brings me back down to earth, he removes his fingers. Holding them up for both of us to see, they're soaked with the results of my orgasm.

Staring at me through the mirror, he brings his fingers to his mouth and sucks them dry, just like I did with his come.

"Mmmm," he moans, smirking. "I'll never get tired of your taste."

All I can manage is collapsing. Peeta of course catches and holds me. I melt into him willingly, both of us sighing happily.

Later in the day, I'm at Peeta's and my office, finishing up some briefing packets. Peeta's with the twins. Eve has a very, very slight fever so we didn't want to bring either of them out or leave them with anyone but one of us.

I exhale deep looking at the stack I still have to do with disdain. I never knew a war involved so much damn paperwork.

Suddenly there's a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" I call out. If it was Peeta or Haymitch or one of our other friends, they would've walked right in.

"It's Annabel, Mrs. Mellark," comes the meek answer.

"Come right in," I say happily.

The door slowly opens, revealing a very nervous Annabel. She looks around the room, obviously anxious about something.

I get up and walk around my desk, giving her a big hug to make her feel welcome and safe. I close the door gently.

Walking back to my desk, I motion to the couch on the wall.

"Have a seat honey."

She sits down and I put the report I was working on away, joining her on the couch after.

"What's up Annabel?" I ask.

"Um," she fiddles with her fingers, "you said I could come to you for anything, right?"

"Of course."

She nods and then remains silent. I can tell she's working up the courage to say something.

"What is it sweetie? You can tell me," I assure her.

"You can't tell my mom," she pleads.

"I promise," I solemnly vow.

"Grayson kissed me," she blurts out.

I smile and she blushes.

"That's it?"

"Yeah," she nods, looking at her feet.

"So what's wrong?"

She shrugs.

"He didn't even ask. We were walking down the hall and he stopped me and just kissed me."

"On the lips?"

Her blush gets deeper, giving me her answer even before she shyly nods.

My smile gets wider.

"Was that your first kiss?"

She nods again.

"Peeta was my first kiss," I reminisce.

"I remember," she says quietly.

"It was exhilarating and scary at the same time." I see her eyes turn to me, interested. "I remember being completely confused. It felt so foreign, so weird the first time. Now I crave his kisses."

I stop, realizing I'm talking to a girl who's barely twelve.

"I don't know what to do," she admits.

"Well let me ask you some questions." She nods. "Do you like him?"

"Yes."

"Does he like you?"

"Yes."

"Do you want him to be just your friend?"

"No."

"Do you want to see him with another girl?"

"No!"

I chuckle at that one.

"Do you want to kiss him again?"

Silence.

"Do you want to kiss him again?" I repeat.

"Yes." Her voice is timid.

"Sounds to me like you already know what to do Annabel," I tell her quietly. "But I want you to remember that you're still very young. I'm not sure how your parents will react, but I'm here for you, okay?"

"Okay. Thank you Mrs. Mellark."

"You're welcome," I gather her into another hug. "Just take it slow," I whisper. "You're kids. Have fun. Make mistakes. Get in trouble."

She giggles a bit.

"Remember, if you get in too much trouble, you happen to know the president," I grin.

Annabel leaves and I feel happy, hoping I helped a little. She was definitely in a better mood when she left.

I go back to my desk and sit down. Talking about my first kiss has made me miss my husband and my kids.

I flick on my screen and type in my password. Peeta and I had Beetee leave the cameras he installed in our place for the coup where they are. He changed the passwords and put a biometric lock on the access server, so only Peeta and I can use them.

The first feed I check is the twin's bedroom. My son is fast asleep in his crib, tucked in tight with the blanket the O'Dairs gave him at my baby shower.

The living room and kitchen are empty. That only leaves one place.

When the feed from our bedroom appears, I instantly smile.

Peeta and Ever are laying on the bed. Peeta's turned on his side, tickling her tummy. I can hear her laughter.

"You're so ticklish," Peeta teases gently. "I'm just going to keep tickling you!"

She squeals even louder. It's a stark difference from when I left and she was screaming her head off, which altered us to her fever. My mom came by quickly and examined her, telling us it's nothing to worry about. Peeta and I had understandably been freaking out.

Peeta reaches over and grabs the thermometer off the nightstand.

"Time to take your temp again baby girl," he announces.

He softly pressed the thermometer to her forehead for a couple seconds, distracting her by making funny faces while he does.

"Good job sweetie," he says proudly, leaning down to kiss the spot where the thermometer was. "Back to normal," he reads the display. I let out a sigh of relief.

He scoops her up in his arms, laying on his back and tossing her in the air. She loves when he does it, always smiling and laughing. He only tosses her a couple inches for safety, but it probably seems way bigger to her.

Once he's done, he lays her on his chest, kissing the top of her head.

"Have I told you how much I love your hair?" He coos. "It's just like your mommy's. So pretty." He ever so gently strokes her dark locks, so reminiscent of my own. "Mommy says you look more like me but I don't think so. You're going to be just as gorgeous as your mother. I'm going to have to fight the boys away with a stick. Maybe your brother will help me out with that."

I giggle at how cute they're being, Peeta talking to her like I do so often.

I realize I've been watching them for a while now, neglecting the work I left them to do in the first place. I keep the feed live while I go back to my paperwork.

Every few minutes I check on them, and after about a half hour they've fallen asleep, Eve still on her daddy's chest, Peeta's hand protectively holding her close.

My mind starts wandering back to our conversation earlier in the bathroom, before we had world-rocking sex.

What should we do? I really am struggling making a decision one way or the other. I've weighed the pros and cons, thought through a million scenarios, and I still can't decide.

Eve and Josh have brought nothing but joy into our lives. Since the moment they were born Peeta and I have been dedicated to them, to their health, safety, and happiness. The truth is they do way more for us than we do for them. They're innocence is enrapturing. Their naivety about how the world works is fascinating. No matter how bad of a day we've had, when they see us, they make us smile. They're always so happy to see their parents, always brightening everyone's lives.

So, logically, if we have another child, that will only increase our happiness. For as long as I can remember, after I got pregnant with the twins, Peeta and I both were firm and adamant about expanding our family further.

We fully realize we're in the middle of a war. I don't have the least stressful of jobs, and even though we never leave the District, it doesn't mean we're 100% safe. I remember how carrying the twins around for nine months was exhausting. My back ached, my boobs hurt, and I had mood swings all the time. Peeta, of course, took it all in stride. He never yelled back when I screamed at him for some inane reason. He didn't complain when I woke him up in the middle of the night with obscure food requests. He didn't mind holding my hair back and rubbing my back while I puked, not to mention cleaning up the mess on at least dozens of occasions.

Truthfully, it's not the pregnancy or the labor that leave me unsure. Do we really want our third child born in 13? Sure, the situation could be completely different a year from now, but how are we to know? It just gives us both more motivation to end the war.

Maybe that's another reason I should go ahead and get pregnant. It'll drive us to work even harder for peace. The sooner we finish the Captiol off, the sooner we go home.

Looking at Peeta and Eve slumbering, and Josh fast asleep in his crib, I know I made my decision long ago. And, knowing my husband, he agrees with me even if neither of us has voiced it just yet.

If history repeats itself, if I stop taking birth control right now, I should get pregnant soon. According to her calculations, Dr. Sutherland believes I got pregnant with the twins on our wedding night. That was only the second day of Peeta and I being intimate. We'd lost our virginities to one another the previous night. I guess Peeta has some good swimmers, I chuckle to myself.

My hesitance to firmly decide one way or another has nothing to do with wanting or not wanting more kids. We both want more kids; we've made that clear from the very start. It's the circumstance we're currently in that is the root cause of our concern. I got shot in the middle of the District, in a room full of military officers. That doesn't inspire much confidence. But, I remind myself, Coin was still in charge at that point, and she was the one who put Francis in that room with a gun in his hand. Since the coup, the intra-District crime rate has fallen to almost zero.

I sigh again, flicking the end of my braid with my fingers. I push the papers in front of me aside. There's no way I'm getting any more work done. Not when my mind is this occupied with thoughts of my family.

I gather up all the reports I've finished and put them in the 'OUT' box. I tidy up my desk, switch my screen off, and leave the office.

Passing by Haymitch's office, I call out a quick 'hi'. He doesn't even look up as he responds. Last week Peeta and I literally had to force him to go back to his room and get some sleep. He's literally been working himself to death. Peeta's theory is that he's replaced drinking with his presidential duties, so he's thrown himself fully into it. It makes sense.

Walking through the halls back to Peeta and the twins, it's hard not to notice the profound change in the attitude of ordinary citizens and soldiers alike. There's more laughter now. There's more belief that we can win the war. There's much more support for the war effort and especially the army. Families bring happiness to everyone, inviting soldiers who don't have families to eat with them. Peeta and I did just that a few days ago – we had five privates who had just gotten back from a mission over and ate dinner with them. They were very thankful and had a great time. The twins especially loved all the attention.

Making it back to our quarters, I open the door quietly so I don't wake anyone. I creep into our bedroom, kicking off my boots. I quickly shed my pants and shirt, pulling on one of Peeta's over my lingerie. He's still fast asleep with Eve on his chest, who's also slumbering peacefully.

I stand over them for a moment, just thinking about how very lucky I am. I decide that it doesn't seem complete without Josh here, and Eve's temperature has abated, so I dart to their room and scoop him into my arms. Peeta and I have gotten so good with them, and they've become so accustomed to their parent's arms, that he actually falls into a deeper sleep when I pick him up. I smile down at my beautiful son and kiss his forehead as we make our way to the rest of our family.

I ever so carefully climb onto the bed. I lay down next to Peeta, curling into him with Josh half on me and half on him. I gently kiss Eve's forehead and Peeta's lips.

Predictably, Peeta wakes up as soon as his nose picks up my scent. He cracks his eyes open and smiles when he sees me with my head on his chest and our son with us.

"Hey you," I whisper.

"You're back," he states the obvious.

I nod and he kisses the top of my head then repeats it by kissing both our children.

"Peeta?" I get his attention with an incredibly timid, nervous voice.

"What is it?"

"Um, well, when I was working I turned on the camera and I was watching you with them," I confess quietly.

"Oh yeah?" He grins. "Did I do something wrong mommy?" He jokes.

I giggle softly. I know he senses my anxiety and is trying to lighten the mood.

"No, of course not," I shake my head slightly. "You're perfect."

"Well that's good to know," he chuckles.

I roll my eyes.

"My husband, modest as ever," I tease.

"Weren't you saying something?" He teases back.

He is right though.

"Yeah," I exhale. I take a deep breath and let it out dramatically.

"Just spit it out."

"That's not what you said last night," is my automatic comeback.

He blanches and his jaw drops. I just stifle my giggle to not wake the kids.

"Katniss, come on," he prompts.

"Fine," I relent.

I take one last look at the three people who I love more than anything, even my own life. I would do absolutely anything for them, to protect them, to ensure their happiness. My smile grows as I gaze at our little family. If all goes according to my new plan, it will grow again soon.

I shift my gaze back up to Peeta, who's looking at me expectantly but with supportive eyes. Finally I just say it.

"I want to have another baby."

_**A/N: Okay, so that was probably pretty predictable, but what the hell. From most of the reviews of last chapter, I deduced two things you guys wanted: First, for me to write that smut scene. Second, for them to have more kids. **_

_**Now I'm not saying she's going to get pregnant next chapter. Remember, I'm planning on writing a third and final story to complete the arc we started in 'It Was A Lie'. **_

_**I got a few requests for more Annabel and Grayson, so I'll keep trying to work them into the chapters. I enjoy the similarities of their budding relationship juxtaposed with Katniss and Peeta's. It's fascinating. **_

_**I also realize we haven't seen some of the other characters in a while, like their parents, Cinna, and some of their friends. I've been focusing more on the war effort and the transition lately, but I promise to write some more fluffy humor with the whole crew soon. **_

_**Thanks as always for reading and reviewing. You guys obviously realize I read every single review, and I appreciate all of them. Thank you. **_


	39. Multiple Propositions

_**Yes, this chapter, like most of my chapters, contains a graphic sex scene. And a lot of dirty mouths. **_

"_I want to have another baby."_

I've made somewhat of a habit out of just blurting out important things. It's how we ended up getting married, after all. So I guess it can't all be bad.

The few seconds of silence after I make my declaration seem like a year. I carefully watch his face as he processes what I just admitted to him.

"Peeta?" I whisper.

"Are you sure?" He asks nervously.

"Peeta," I sigh.

"You're not pregnant already, right? I mean we're in 13, we don't know when the war-"

"Peeta!"

He finally shuts up and I giggle at the look on his face.

"Calm down," I soothe.

Both of us turn our gazes to our children. Even the mere thought of expanding our families puts a smile on my face. Who would've ever thought that it would be_ me _that pushed to have more kids?

Slowly, his face breaks out into a wide, beautiful smile. The same one that he gave me when I told him I was pregnant the first time.

"So I take it from the look on your face that you agree?" I tease.

He just nods emphatically and I give him a sweet kiss on the lips.

"Thank you," he whispers against my lips.

"For what?" I quirk an eyebrow.

"For wanting to give us more children," he answers immediately.

"I told you a long time ago that we weren't stopping at two," I grin.

"Any idea what number we _are _going to stop at?" He grins back.

"Depends," I shrug. "Maybe this time around we'll have another set of twins, or even triplets. Who knows?"

"You really want to get pregnant again, go through labor again?" He carefully asks.

"Yes," I nod. "Pregnancy definitely isn't the most pleasant thing in the world," I explain, "but when the result is this," I wave my hand around, motioning to our little family all cuddled up in bed, "it's more than worth it."

That makes his smile get even bigger if at all possible.

"Plus we're still young," I point out. "I have no idea what we'll feel in ten years, but I do know that as long as I'm with you and our children, I'll be happy. Eve and Josh have brought only joy and happiness into our life, and I want them to have siblings who will do the same."

"_Siblings_, as in plural?"

"Yes, as in plural," I affirm. "Look, like I said, I can't predict the future. But if I get pregnant and it ends up being one baby, I'm fairly sure I'm not going to want to stop at three."

"I love you," he declares, his face a study in wonderment and awe.

"I love you too," I giggle, giving him another kiss.

"So, um, uh, when do you want to start trying?" He shyly asks.

"Well it's not up to just me, is it?" I smirk. "It takes two to make a baby Peeta. I kind of need you to get pregnant."

"Oh I see," he's obviously teasing, "that's what you keep me around for."

"Busted," I tease back. "I'm using you for your excellent genes. And you're not too bad in bed either."

"Not too bad, huh? That's not what you were saying last night."

"See that just shows you how much power I have over you," I chuckle jokingly. "I have you completely under my spell. I can get you to do whatever I want. All I have to do is let you stick it in me every now and then."

"Katniss!" He quietly scolds. "The kids are right here!"

"They're fast asleep," I remind him. "Relax honey."

"Okay, okay," he exhales. "But you really think I'm under your spell? Maybe I have you so controlled that I'm _allowing _you to think that," he smirks.

"Yeah right," I wave him off. "If I said that we're not having sex for the foreseeable future you'd go crazy."

"Wanna put your money where your mouth is?" He grins.

"You really want to go there?" I bop him on the nose gently. "You prepared to have me sleep next to you completely naked every night and not be allowed to touch me?"

"There's no provision that says I can't pleasure myself," he retorts.

"Suuuuuure," I reply sarcastically, rolling my eyes. "How long would you really last? Especially if I made sure you were watching as I got myself off?"

"Would _you _really be able to go without me inside you? I don't mean to sound arrogant baby, but I'm fairly certain I'm a tad bigger than your fingers."

I involuntarily shudder just thinking about him stuffing me.

"If we don't change subjects soon we're putting the kids in their cribs," I growl.

"Okay, I'll stop," he laughs softly.

"I didn't say I wanted you to stop," I clarify.

"God Kat, I'm starting to get really, um, uh," he stutters and I giggle.

"I know," I whisper, moving my hand right over where his erection is growing. I don't keep it there for more than a couple seconds, considering the twins are literally right here.

"Kat?" He whimpers.

"Hmm?" I bat my eyelashes up at him seductively.

"Can we put the twins in their cribs?"

For all our bravado and big talk, neither of us can go a minute without each other. And that's the way it should be.

Afterwards, we lay together amid the mess we made of our bed. Sheets are everywhere, our clothes haphazardly thrown all over the room, our sweat-covered bodies intertwined. I bury my face into his neck and pepper it with soft kisses.

"So, just to clarify," I whisper, "I'm _not _taking birth control this month."

"Like I said, it's up to you," he deflects.

"Ugh, Peeta," I groan in frustration. "Just give me an honest answer."

"Okay," he grins sarcastically, "no, you're not taking birth control."

"Good," I smile and nibble on his earlobe a little.

"Do you think we should tell people we're trying?" He asks nervously.

I shrug and lay my head back on his chest.

"I don't know," I admit honestly. "Do we have to tell people we're trying? Can we wait until I'm actually pregnant?"

"Of course."

"Last time we waited for obvious reasons," I explain. "I want to tell our family and friends when we know this time."

"Sounds perfect," he declares and I kiss him on the lips again.

"You don't think if we have another baby we'll spend less time with the twins, right? I don't want them to feel ignored or not loved," I sadly relay.

"Of course not!" He emphatically denies. "They know how much their parents love them honey. We've proven that we can handle being mom and dad, and I have faith that this time around we'll do an even better job after all the practice we've gotten."

We both chuckle, thinking about all the crazy things we've done since the twins came.

"You ready for middle of the night feedings and me getting fat again?" I tease.

"Yup. Besides, you look gorgeous when you carry our children. Not to mention your libido goes into overdrive," he smirks.

"Sure, you love it," I huff facetiously. "I do all the hard work and you get laid constantly."

"This time around it was your idea, remember? And you're not even pregnant."

"Yet," I add with a smile.

"Yet," he repeats, matching my smile.

"You know," I realize, "it might actually help the war if I did get pregnant. I'm sure it would inspire some people or something."

"Definitely," he nods. "But I don't want any of our kids exposed to the crap we deal with. Ever."

"Obviously," I agree. "I'm just excited, that's all."

"I am too. So, so excited. The love of my life just agreed to give me more beautiful children."

"Children? As in plural? I said 'baby' Peeta. Singular," I tease. His eyes widen and I quickly deduce he, of course, doesn't realize I'm teasing. "Oh relax. Of course we're having more _children_." He lets out and audible breath and I giggle and kiss his bare chest. Didn't we talk about this a few minutes ago? I chuckle to myself.

"I love you," he whispers with sincerity.

I look up at him from my position on his chest, and the love he's showing me in his eyes is almost overwhelming.

"I love you," I reply with as much gravitas I can muster up. "I can't wait to have more babies with you. You're the best daddy in the world."

"I'm nowhere near as good of a parent as you," he protests. "You really are the greatest mommy there is."

"Let's just agree to disagree again, okay?"

"Deal."

We both laugh and I settle back onto him, curling up as much as possible while he tightens his grip on me.

"I hope your boobs get bigger again," he jokes.

"You'd love that, wouldn't you?"

"Duh. Look how amazing they are now." For good measure, he cups one of my breasts and fondles it gently.

"Peeta," I moan. "Stop. No, don't stop. Oh, baby."

He smirks as he tweaks my nipple, his other hand sliding effortlessly down my spine and grabbing my ass, squeezing. He daringly reaches even further and I feel his finger slip inside my pussy, which is rapidly becoming soaked again.

"Flip over," he commands.

I can't respond audibly, so I just follow his orders. I flip over onto my back, snuggling back into his side. His hands readjust, one on my tit and the other right between my legs. I feel his warm breath on my neck, then he whispers in my ear.

"Come for me baby. Show me."

I'm not satisfied with just one of his fingers inside me, so I reach down and force a second one in, shoving them in deeper. I reach my hand up and fondle my other breast.

"Oh fuck," I groan in pleasure, "don't do you dare stop!"

I hear him chuckle softly and my eyes slide shut.

All of a sudden, he shifts behind me and gently lays my back down onto the bed. I feel him come around in front of me. His lips are all over my skin. He starts with my neck, slowly moving downwards. He takes each nipple in his mouth, flicking them with his tongue. He spends a while kissing every inch of my boobs and the hollow between them. By the time he makes it to my flat stomach, I'm well on my way to an orgasm. He still has two fingers pounding into me, but now I'm anticipating his tongue inside me as well. The thought alone arouses me immensely.

"Stop teasing," I beg. "Stop teasing. Either lick my pussy or just fuck me!"

He keeps teasing me, to my delight. He slows down, torturing me. I grab his head and try to push him further down my body, but he's stronger. Finally, I tilt his head up so our gazes meet.

"Get your tongue or your cock inside me right fucking now!"

He can see how serious I am, how utterly horny he's made me. In one swift move, he grasps my hips and the next thing I feel is him entering me forcefully, possessively.

"From now on," I moan, "you come inside me unless I tell you otherwise. Make a baby with me Peeta."

He begins thrusting with gusto. He backs me up until I feel the backboard behind me, finally giving me some kind of anchor against his thrusts. He's slamming into me so hard I think he's going to break me.

Needless to say, it doesn't take very long before I'm in the middle of an explosive orgasm. In the middle of it, he pulls out, and I'm about to yell at him when I feel his tongue lick my clit then dart inside me for a couple seconds, then it's replaced quickly by his cock again.

"Holy shit," I whimper.

"Thought you'd like that," he smirks down at me.

"You thought right."

"Do you want to be on top?" He asks a couple minutes later.

I shake my head.

"No. I want you to fuck me like this. I want you to show me who owns me, who my pussy and tits belong to. I want to feel your naked cock stuff me to the brim. I need your come inside me, baby. Please, please come inside me."

His face gets that determined look that never fails to set me off. I used to have to hold myself back from visiting him at the bakery when I knew I was horny. I knew if I went, and saw this same look on his face, I'd have dragged him to the first private place I could think of and had him fuck my brains out. Kind of like he's doing right now.

"Baby I'm so close," he groans as he leans down to kiss me thoroughly.

"Look me in the eye when you come," I beg. "Then bring your cock up here so I can properly clean it."

"Oh god." My words do their job, and his thrusts get as powerful as ever before he climaxes.

He backs up and pushes all the way inside me a couple times, emptying himself into me. Once he's spent, he collapses onto me, and I welcome it. I wrap my arms around him, bringing him closer. I make sure he remains inside me, and I gently pepper any part of his body my lips can reach. We're both panting and out of breath, so we take a minute to collect ourselves.

Once my heart rate returns somewhat to normal, I whisper in his ear seductively.

"Cock in my mouth, please," I order with a grin.

He looks like he just got the best present in the world from the look of joy in his eyes. He pulls out and I automatically feel empty, but soon enough he's kneeling right over me. I reach up and grasp the base of his cock as I take the entire length in my mouth, using my tongue to lick it up and down, up and down. I look up at him while I do this, and before his eyes roll into the back of his head, they're filled with love and ecstasy. I know what makes my man tick.

Once I'm satisfied with my cleaning job, I lay the customary series of soft kisses on the tip, causing him to predictably shudder in delight.

"Good boy," I give it one last peck. "You know what? You just earned one blowjob, to be redeemed at a time and place of your choosing."

"Really?" He asks incredulously.

"Mmmhmm," I nod as we both climb out of bed to get into the shower. "Wherever and whenever. You just say the word. Or don't say anything at all, whip it out and grab the back of my head. I'll get the idea. And, as usual, you know I'll swallow."

"Katniss," he groans almost painfully.

"Come on, wash my hair for me baby," I hand him my shampoo as we stand under the showerhead.

"On a serious note," he says as he massages it into my hair and scalp, "I can't believe we're going to try for kids again."

"Well we weren't exactly trying the first time around," I point out, giggling.

"True," he laughs. "We were so young and naïve. It feels like such a long time ago, doesn't it?"

"Well we've been through a lot since then. But I want you to know something. Even though we have good days and bad days, and even though sometimes I lose my temper and yell or we get in some stupid argument, I wouldn't change a minute of our life together. It's what I always wanted, but I never allowed myself to think I deserve it."

"You know I feel the same way," he assures me quietly. "It's been like a dream. We have a family, and we're going to make it a little bigger, hopefully sooner rather than later. I get to spend all day every day with my stunning, gorgeous, sexy wife and our beautiful, perfect children."

We spend a little more time washing each other from head to toe, literally. We've taken so many showers together, at least one a day since the day we got married, that we have our own routine we do without even thinking. He washes my hair first, then I wash his. I always wash and massage his stump last.

Once we're dressed again, we bring the twins to Prim. She begged us to let her babysit, even though we didn't need her to. Of course, she nagged us until we agreed, so we drop them off. As soon as she sees them, she ignored us and pretty much slams the door in our faces.

"See you later Prim," Peeta hilariously says to the door.

"Come on," I laugh, tugging on his hand.

We meet everyone at the cafeteria and eat. They're of course disappointed when they realize it's just the two of us.

"What? Is that the only reason you like us? Our kids?" I joke.

"Yeah," Johanna shrugs non-apologetically. "Why else do you think we put up with you two always whispering and kissing and all the other gross stuff you do?"

"You mean stuff like this?" I tease. I turn to Peeta and take his earlobe between my teeth and bite gently. He almost purrs like a cat, then just to piss Jo off I swirl my tongue around his ear, which never fails to make him blush.

He actually audibly whimpers when I stop. Everyone else at the table is looking at us slack-jawed and wide-eyed.

"What?" I wave them off. "She started it," I point to Johanna.

"Excuse me, General Mellark?"

I turn and see a young private standing rigid near our table.

"Yes, private?"

"You're both needed at Command, ma'am," he motions to Peeta as well. "President Abernathy sent me."

"Thank you private. Dismissed," I say before I turn to Peeta. "What do you think he wants now?"

"Who knows," Peeta sighs. We hurriedly take the last few bites of food before we bid goodbye to everyone as we get up.

He takes my hand in his as we walk with purpose through the halls. We never know what to expect with Haymitch. One time it was actually a real emergency. A mission had gone haywire and we had to pull the team out right away. Other times, it's nonsense, like a few days ago when he had us fetched to ask us if we'd finished a report that we'd already handed in. It was obvious he was screwing with us, as, of course, we'd been in bed when he called.

Entering Command, we find it mostly void of personnel, as it's late in the day. We make our way back to Haymitch's office. His door is open so we stroll right in.

"What do you want Haymitch?" I ask impatiently, not caring that he's on the phone.

He holds up a single finger to me without looking up.

"Mmmhmm," he nods, obviously speaking to whoever's on the other end of the phone call. "Yeah. No. Yesterday. Okay. Speak to you then."

He hangs up and sighs before he turns his attention to us.

"Have a seat you two," he says, motioning to the chairs in front of his desk.

"Fine," I huff and sit down.

"What's got your panties in a bunch?" Haymitch gruffly asks.

"Shut up," I snap. "What do you want?"

"What, did you knock her up again?" He looks to Peeta.

Both of us involuntarily blush.

"Wait, really?" He looks stunned.

"No, I'm not pregnant," I clarify for all our sakes.

"I wouldn't be surprised," he smirks, "the way you two go at it day and night."

"Jealous?" I smirk back. "I'll happily be louder when we do it in our office if you'd like, Mr. President," my voice drips with sarcasm.

Our mentor just rolls his eyes.

"That won't be necessary," he shakes his head. "I just had Plutarch in here," he begins.

Peeta and I both sigh deeply, knowing what's coming next.

"Another Propo?" I ask, exasperated.

"Actually, no."

We're both surprised and it shows on our faces.

"This morning when I arrived at my office there was a blank envelope waiting for me," Haymitch explains. "It was a letter from Snow."

"What!?" I almost shriek.

"Calm down sweetheart," he holds up his hands.

"What did it say?" Peeta asks, a heck of a lot calmer than me.

"Believe it or not, it was a peace proposal."

"Peace? That bastard wants peace?" I ask incredulously.

"Of course not," Haymitch shakes his head. "He's not fooling anyone."

"Okay," I nod. "So what's the big deal?"

"Well he laid out some terms for a cease-fire."

"And they are," Peeta prompts.

"Before I tell you, I want you to remember how many lives we can save by stopping this war right now. Having said that, we don't have control of all the Districts or the Capitol yet, and those were our main goals from the beginning."

"Haymitch just tell us," I almost plead.

"He wants you two," he bluntly responds.

"What do you mean he wants us?" Peeta asks for clarification.

"He wants me to turn you two over to him."

"What? Why?" I'm confused.

"I have no idea," Haymitch shrugs. "But he says if I do, he'll order his army to stop fighting."

"What? That's crap! He won't honor his word. As soon as he has us he'll just use us to his advantage! Can't you see that?" I scream.

"Katniss, calm down," Haymitch tries unsuccessfully.

"Kat, honey," Peeta's voice finally gets through to me. "Let's hear him out."

"Fine," I cross my arms over my chest. I turn to look Haymitch in the eye. "If you try to take my husband or my kids away from me, I don't care that you're their godfather or my friend, I will put a bullet between your fucking eyes."

"Nobody's getting taken away from anyone," Haymtich quickly assures us. "I would never ask you two to do anything like that."

"So what are you asking us to do?" Peeta speaks for us as I'm still fuming.

"Well, Plutarch, Beetee and I have an idea." We motion for him to go on. "We make a little video of you two saying you want to protect your kids, so on and so forth, so you'll give yourselves up to him as long as he stops the war, leaves your kids alone, and shows up at a neutral site with only ten of his bodyguards for the transfer."

"You want to capture him," I quickly deduce.

Haymitch's face splits into a wide grin.

"Bingo, sweetheart."

"He'd never show," Peeta points out.

"That's what we need you two for," he points his fingers at us emphatically. We start to open our mouths but he stops us. "No, you're not going anywhere. You're not leaving the District under any circumstances." Both of us let out relieved breaths. "Beetee thinks he can create disguises that will be good enough to fool Snow long enough for us to get the upper hand. That, along with the tape of you two 'capitulating', might be enough for Snow to make a mistake. Worst case scenario is he doesn't show, we pull our troops out and bring them home."

"If we get him we can end the war," I say to nobody in particular. "Once he's in our custody he can't give orders anymore."

"Exactly," Haymitch is still grinning. "If there's one thing his soldiers aren't, it's loyal. Look at how many of our soldiers used to be his soldiers. We'd still have to deal with the higher-ups that are still loyal to him, but it will be much easier to take the Capitol if Snow is already in chains."

"Then we put him on trial, right?" I almost demand.

"Let's take it one step at a time," he appeases. "So I take it you two are in?"

"Well let me ask you a couple questions," Peeta pipes up.

"Shoot kid."

"Katniss, myself, and our kids will never have to leave the District during the war?"

"Correct."

"We won't have to go on the mission to capture him?"

"Correct. Like I said, Beetee's going to make disguises."

"I don't want Snow anywhere near my family," he says with steel in his voice, leaving absolutely no wiggle room. "I want him housed in a maximum-security facility off-site."

"I'm sure Beetee and the engineers can come up with something," Haymitch nods.

"Lastly, Katniss and I have the right to carry out his inevitable execution."

The last one surprises everyone. Peeta would never, ever kill someone if he didn't have to. The only times he's killed were either for self-defense or to protect me.

"Peeta, are you sure?" I gently ask, slipping my hand out of his and cradling his cheek.

He looks at me and I can see the fear in his eyes, the overwhelming worry that I'll think less of him.

"Oh baby," I whisper. "You don't have to do this. You don't have to prove anything to anyone, least of all me."

"It's not that," he quietly replies. "As long as he's alive he's a threat to our family. I just can't allow that."

"But you're sure you want to be the one to pull the trigger?" I carefully ask.

He takes a deep breath and lets it out. Haymitch wisely keeps his mouth shut.

"Remember what we were talking about today?" Peeta asks, barely audible.

I just nod slowly.

"There is _nothing _I wouldn't do to protect you Katniss. To protect you and our children. I'll go to any length, do whatever needs to be done, and kill anyone who poses even the smallest danger to you and our kids. When it comes to our family, Kat, there are no limits to what I'm willing to do."

"I'm with you," I assure him quietly, kissing him softly. "I'm with you baby, all the way. Whatever it takes."

"Haymitch can you give us a minute?" Peeta politely asks, even though we're in Haymitch's office.

"Sure kid."

He gets up and leaves the room, shutting the door behind him.

"I'm serious Katniss," he says with sincerity. "I think we really have a shot at ending this war, but it's not worth it if we're going to lose ourselves in the process."

"I agree," I nod, leaning forward until the tips of our noses are touching.

"Okay, so we tell Haymitch we're in," he decides.

I nod my agreement and give him another reassuring kiss.

"This doesn't change anything we talked about earlier," he whispers. "Unless you want to talk about it again."

"No," I shake my head. "This has strengthened my resolve if anything. Let's end this godforsaken war and go home. I want to raise our family with you. I want to sit on the porch and watch the sunset curled up in your arms. I want to walk our kids to their first day of kindergarten where maybe they'll see the love of their life the first time. I want to have more children, and one day grandchildren. I want to teach them how to hunt while you teach them how to bake and paint. I want that life sooner rather than later, Peeta Mellark. I need two things to get there – you, and the end of this war."

"I love you so much."

"I love you more."

"Not possible," he shakes his head smiling.

"Entirely possible," I nod, smiling.

"Katniss," he huffs.

"Peeta," I huff.

We both laugh and end up embracing tightly. Yet again I get that warm fuzzy feeling that tells me I'm safer here, in his arms, than anywhere else. Even when we were in the Arena together, where death was literally right around the corner, as long as he held me, I was okay.

"Haymitch!" I yell.

He comes back in and sits down silently. Seeing the goofy grins on our faces, he rolls his eyes.

"I was half-afraid I'd come back in and you'd be half-naked," he jokes.

"I can take my pants off if it'll make you feel better," Peeta jokes back, reaching for the button on his cargos.

"No!" Haymitch immediately protests.

We both laugh at him, and he eventually breaks down and joins us.

"We're in," Peeta informs him once we're all calmed down.

"I thought you would be," Haymitch grins. "For now we're keeping this top-secret. Only us, Beetee, and Plutarch know so far. We'll bring in the other Victors as we go along. We need to find two people with the same body types as you who we can disguise, and we need a feasible, well thought-out, foolproof plan."

"When do we start?" I ask.

"We'll start planning right away, but obviously we have to keep it quiet, so we can't work on it in the middle of the day."

"Got it," Peeta nods. "Kind of like when I planned our vow renewal," he smiles at me.

"It's a little more important than that," Haymitch casually remarks.

The glare I shoot his way could kill.

"I'm going to pretend I never heard that," I growl with obvious disdain and venom. "It would behoove you to refrain from such comments in the future."

"I'd listen to my wife," Peeta smirks, "if you want to keep breathing, that is."

"Alright, get out of here you two," he waves us off. "We'll talk more about this soon."

We leave, both still in mild shock about the entire thing. I'm sure it'll sink in eventually, but it's hard to believe we might have a chance to grab Snow.

"Do you think it'll work?" Peeta asks once we're back in our bedroom. Prim refused to give us back our kids, so we took the opportunity to talk some things out with just us.

"I really don't know sweetie," I answer honestly as I pull my pants off.

"I hope it does," he sighs, tossing me one of his tees to put on over my bra and panties. I pull it over my head.

"Me too baby," I give his cheek a kiss.

"Do you think we'll ever live a normal life?"

"You and me? Probably not," I chuckle. "We're already pretty famous if you haven't noticed."

"Well yeah, I know that. I mean, like you were talking about before. Simple stuff. Like watching the sunset or going for walks in the meadow or making dinner together or taking our kids to school."

"Of course we're going to have that," I assure him. "That's what we're fighting for, remember? To give our children the best life possible? And when did we ever cook dinner together?"

He laughs and I'm glad to hear him not so gloomy.

"Hey Peeta?"

"Yea Kat?"

"I think we need to practice some more."

"Practice what?"

I roll my eyes. He can be so clueless.

To answer him, I simply flip my leg over him and straddle his waist. I sit up straight and lift my shirt up and over my head.

"Practice making babies, you moron," I deadpan.

"Oh," his eyes widen then darken in lust.

I reach behind me and unclasp my bra. It falls off my breasts and I giggle at the look on his face. He reaches up and fondles both of them with his hands.

"You're so beautiful," he mumbles happily.

"I take back what I said before," I moan, throwing my head back.

"What's that?" He asks.

"I was wrong. There's no fucking way I could go any length of time without you inside me."

"Is that so?" He teases.

"Don't get cocky," I warn.

"You're not very convincing honey," he grins. "Especially when you're currently grinding right on top of my _cock_."

"Valid point," I whimper.

"Mrs. Mellark, are you ready?"

"Ready for what?" I ask breathily.

"This."

He flips me onto my back and rips my panties down my legs. By now I'm quivering with desire, wet beyond belief with anticipation.

As he enters me, pushing his rock hard erection all the way in, I silently pray that soon, our lovemaking will result in us again creating life. In this hectic world, where death is commonplace and people's lives too often short and miserable, we have to hold on to things that bring us joy.

And I can say, without a doubt, that our family brings me more joy than anything has or ever will.

**A/N: Bet you didn't see that one coming! Honestly, neither did I, I kind of just came up with it on the spot. **

**You can tell that we're starting to wrap up some of the storylines in this story. I'm planning on writing another sequel, the third and last of the arc started with 'It Was A Lie'. **

**New chapter of 'Not All Who Wander Are Lost' will be up soon. I just got a new job, so I'm not sure how it'll affect my writing schedule yet. **

**Thanks as always for reading and reviewing! Ciao. **


	40. Finnick?

_**Katniss and Peeta have a jolly good time in this chapter. It involves a conference table and minimal clothing. You get the gist. **_

I really have no clue whether or not our plan has any chance of success. Snow certainly isn't stupid. You can't run a country for as long as he has, with as much of an iron grip that he holds, without having at least some brains.

But we're not going to let doubt stop us. Not when we've come this far, not when we're this close to ending this war.

The search for our doubles begins, in secret of course. Beetee, Haymitch, Peeta and I start going through hours of CCTV footage and page after page of identification photos looking for two suitable people.

It's turning out to be harder than we ever thought.

"Ugh," I huff, tossing the book I was flipping through on the table unceremoniously. "We're never going to find anyone to do this."

Every minute that passed and we don't have even a possibility, my pessimism grows. My mind is starting to convince me that Peeta and I are going to have no choice but to show up ourselves. While that might work, neither of us are really willing to do it at all. As dedicated as we are to this cause, as much as we want to end this, we're not risking leaving our children ever again. Especially now that we've decided to start at least try to expand it further.

That's another problem I'm facing. It's getting harder and harder to keep my mouth shut about our decision, especially when I'm around Annie, Johanna, Prim, my mom, or Madge. It's not that I don't think they'd be happy for us, because I know they would. It's that we're still in a war, people are still dying, and it wouldn't be fair to go around dancing and yelling about me trying to get pregnant again.

On the other hand, we know that if we do tell everyone it could greatly affect the morale and war effort.

So, that's where Peeta and I currently find ourselves. Stuck in the middle.

"It's going to be okay," Peeta whispers soothingly, giving me a gentle back rub from his position standing behind me. "We'll find someone."

"Peeta we've looked at thousands of people," I whine.

"And there are thousands more we haven't look at yet," he points out, motioning to the huge stack awaiting our eyes. "Don't give up Kat. I won't let you."

"I know," I nod sadly. "I'm just – just – scared."

"I know," he repeats back. "I am too. I have been ever since all this started."

"But how are you so good at not showing it?"

It's true. I'm probably, no, definitely, the only person who can see beyond Peeta's smile, beyond his happy-go-lucky attitude. He does it not only for my sake, but also for everyone around us. I do enough pouting and complaining for both of us as it is. He keeps me grounded, keeps me hoping and faithful.

"It's silly," he deflects.

"Peeta Mellark," I warn lowly.

"I make a list," he explains after a moment, "in my head. I think about all the good things in my life, the things I'm grateful for. It helps more than you'd think."

I never thought of that. I automatically discard it, thinking it would never help me.

"Try," Peeta suggests. I'm about to tell him no when he interrupts. "Just try once. For me. Please. I'll go first if you want."

"Okay," I relent after a moment.

"My name is Peeta Mellark," he begins. "I'm a general in the rebel army. I have a wife and two children who I love more than anything. My wife is also a general and I have the absolute pleasure and privilege of working side by side with her every day. I have a supportive and loving extended family. I have wonderful friends who always help and make me laugh. I am going to do everything in my power to end this conflict and take my family home."

I am, of course, blown away by him yet again. Just hearing his list is already raising my spirits. He waits patiently, silently, for me to begin my own list.

"My name is Katniss Mellark," I begin the same way he did. "I'm a general in the rebel army. I have the best husband in the world, who I love with all my heart. I have two beautiful children who bring joy to my life. I have a family that I love and loves me back. I have amazing friends who are always there for me. I accept that there's only so much I can do to end this war, but I'm going to try my best. I'm going to spend the rest of my life with my soul mate."

"Well?" He prompts after a minute. "Did it help at all."

I shrug.

"A little I guess. But for you I'll keep doing it."

"It'll take a bit before it really helps," he assures me.

I nod and stand up.

Before he can ask why, I just tug on his hand and make him sit where I was. He knows my next move, of course, and reaches out to pull me into his lap. I sit sideways and lean my head on his shoulder, softly kissing his neck.

"You have goosebumps," I giggle between pecks.

"Can't help it," he moans quietly. "My gorgeous wife's lips are on my skin."

"Hey Peeta?" I whisper in his ear.

"Hmm?"

"When are you going to redeem your coupon?"

"Huh? What coupon?"

I giggle again at how stupid he can get when he's aroused. He truly can be the dumbest smart person I know. At least I have a surefire method of distracting him in case I ever need to.

"Your coupon for one free blowjob courtesy of your loving wife," I remind, nipping his earlobe with my teeth. He moans again and I'm suddenly thankful it's just us in this room. Haymitch went back to his office a while ago.

"Oh yeah," his memory comes back. His cheeks flush and I swear I feel his growing erection against my thigh. I wiggle a little bit and he groans. Yup, he's hard.

I can see his brain has turned to mush, so I make the decision for him. I quickly stand up from his lap, stride to the only door, and lock it. I hit the button on the wall to turn the windows to frost, so nobody can see in.

When I get back to him, he's still dazed, his eyes glazed over with desire.

I stand in front of him and let his eyes rake over my body from head to toe. I might be wearing boring army clothes, but to him apparently I look like I'm in just my lingerie. That gives me a wicked idea.

"Baby? I need a favor," I ask.

"Anything," he mutters.

"I need to run and grab something. I don't want you to move an inch, okay?"

"Okay," he nods dumbly.

I quickly lean down to him. I kiss him thoroughly while my hand strokes his cock over his pants.

"Be back in a flash," I whisper against his lips.

I turn his chair so he can watch me leave. I put an extra sway in my hips and when I glance over my shoulder I see his eyes fixated on my ass. Good.

Once I'm out the door I close it behind me and struggle not to all-out sprint.

I stop at Annie and Finnick's for a couple seconds to check on the twins, who are asleep peacefully. I thank them again for babysitting and leave as fast as I came.

I almost bust down the door to our place, grab what I need, do the necessaries, and head back to my husband.

When I get back to the room he's in, I make sure to lock the door again. I go and stand in front of him and put my hands on my hips. He looks at me curiously because I have nothing in my hands.

"What did you need?" He finally asks, giving me uninformed consent to start.

"You'll see soon enough," I answer cryptically. "Now turn around and don't peak."

I swivel his chair so his back is facing me. I watch his head to make sure he doesn't try to sneak a look. I want to surprise him.

I shed my pants first, trying to be as quiet as possible, my boots and socks going with them. I strip off my tee and flip my braid to the front of my shoulder so he can see it plainly.

"Okay, you can turn back around," I inform him.

He uses his feet to swivel his chair. Once he sees me and his mind registers what I'm wearing, his jaw drops and his eyes go dark with lust.

I'm standing in front of him in nothing but the pink negligee Johanna gave me at my baby shower. The only other thing I have on is my wedding ring and the necklace Peeta gave me the morning of the Reaping, the day before we left for the Capitol and eventually 13. The last morning we woke up in our own bed, I remind myself.

"Oh my god," he mumbles happily.

I let him take me in. He's the only man I ever willingly let look at me like this. I'd be offended if anyone but him did. Actually, I've had to deal with that a lot. Gale, Francis, and other various men who have no manners. About once or twice a week Peeta catches some private or corporal gawking at me and I have to calm him down so he doesn't pummel them.

"So beautiful," he mumbles in the same awestruck tone. "So, so beautiful."

"I was wondering if you remember I had this," I joke.

"Are you kidding?" He replies incredulously. "You wore that the first time we had sex on the front porch at home."

My mind brings me right back to that night. We'd already had multiple rounds by the time we made it out there, but it still ranks as some of the hottest, most passionate lovemaking we've ever had.

"You have a choice to make," I explain.

"Okay," he nods. I'm positive right now I could get him to do absolutely anything I wanted.

"You can either get a blowjob right here right now and then fuck my brains out. Or, you can fuck my brains out and I'll suck your cock later on."

His jaw drops, again. But I'm being totally serious.

"Um, uh," he stumbles. I giggle at the adorable look on his face.

"Sorry," I tease. "Took you too long."

I tease him further by bending now, purposely giving him quite a show down the negligee, and make like I'm going to put my clothes back on. His eyes go wide in sheer panic.

"Please," he begs unapologetically. "Please Kat."

"Please what?" I grin, biting my bottom lip for full effect.

"I don't know," he admits. "I just want you so bad."

"So show me," I coax, taking a step closer to him.

He takes me completely by surprise when he jumps out of his chair, grabs me by the waist and almost slams my back down onto the conference table we were just working on.

I fumble with his belt buckle frantically and finally get it undone, allowing me to pull his pants and boxers down. He reaches for the hem of his shirt but I stop him.

"No," I shake my head, simultaneously gripping his rock hard erection. "Fuck me right now!"

Even though I told him to, he still manages to surprise me when he firmly grabs my hips and stuffs me hard. He pushes my negligee up my body so he can fondle my breasts and tweak my hard nipples. I'm glad I chose to not wear any panties. They just would've slowed us down anyways.

He uses his hands on my hips to pull me close to him as he slams into me. His raw power almost overwhelms me, and he brings me to climax in what seems like a matter of seconds.

"Fuck baby I'm coming," I groan loudly. "Please don't stop. You feel so fucking good inside me. Fuck me, Peeta. Fuck your wife. Please baby, please. Deeper. Oh god right there."

I feel like he's going to break me. It almost feels like the first time, when we were both virgins. I was shocked at how huge he was. When I looked at his cock and then down at my pussy, I thought there was absolutely now way he was going to fit that in there. Even now, after we've been having sex for over a year, and I've given birth naturally to twins, he's so enormous that I'm still incredibly tight to him. I can feel every inch he slides into me. I remember the first time he buried himself all the way inside me. It felt like his cock was going to come out of my throat he's so huge.

It always gets me so incredibly hot and horny when I remind myself that I get to get fucked by him for the rest of my life. His cock has never, and will never, be inside anyone but me. My pussy will only ever get stuffed by him. His is the only come I will ever swallow, ever be drenched by, ever help to create life inside of me.

I realize I zoned out a bit, and bring myself back to the moment. He reaches around me and picks me up, still buried in me to the hilt. He lifts me up and lowers me a few times while he holds me up, both of us moaning into each other's mouths as we kiss frantically, roughly.

He backs up and finds the chair he was in before.

"I want to ride you," I inform him. "Sit down and let me do the work."

He's more than happy to oblige. He sits and I shift a bit to give myself the best angle and leverage. I start riding and bucking, lifting up and sliding back down, wiggling and circling as I go. He throws his head back in pleasure. His hands slide up and down my thighs and abdomen, occasionally gripping and fondling my boobs.

It's when he darts a hand down between my legs and starts flicking and rubbing my clit that he brings me to yet another explosive, earth-shattering orgasm. It's my turn to throw my head back in pleasure.

When I see from his facial expression and body language he's nearing his own climax, I quickly shed myself of the negligee.

"Are you there?" I ask.

He's only able to nod.

"Stand up," I command.

He does and I climb off of him. He whimpers, but only for a second as I kneel in front of him and start sucking him off. I've learned over time to fully ignore my gag reflex, allowing me to take all of him. He's so long I can feel the tip at the back of my throat, even going so far as to begin going down.

I quickly switch, stroking furiously with my hand as I take his balls in my mouth, making sure to lick every inch of them with my tongue sensually. He groans loudly at that.

"I'm going to come," he mutters in ecstasy. "Fuck Kat I'm going to come so hard."

I ready myself, positioning my face right in front of the tip while I keep stroking.

He tenses and releases, and the powerful stream hits me in the face. I feel it all over me, and I try to catch as much of it as I can in my gaping mouth. I keep jerking him off, wanting everything he can give me.

When he's spent, I use my finger to clean up my face, depositing the come in the pool already in my mouth. I look down and see my tits covered with his come. I repeat the same cleanup until I'm convinced I've collected as much as I can. Just to tease him, I rub his cock up against my boobs and nipples. He's always super-sensitive right after he climaxes, so it's easy to see how pleasurable this is for him.

I tilt my head up like I always do, showing him the results of his orgasm in my mouth. I look him in the eye as I over-exaggerate swallowing all of it, licking my fingers clean as well.

"Tastes better every time," I say giddily once I'm finished.

I glance down and realize I missed some. There's a single stream right between my breasts, slowly dripping down towards my stomach.

"Hmm. Missed a spot," I grin. I use my index finger to start at the bottom and slide up, collecting it. "That's better. It's like dessert." I giggle and clean my index finger again.

"Wow," Peeta finally speaks. He collapses back into the chair, not even bothering to pull his pants up. I dart to the bathroom quickly, clean up, and head back to my husband. I slide into his lip, still nude.

"That doesn't count as my free blowjob, does it?" He asks seriously.

"Nope," I affirm.

"Good," he smiles and kisses my shoulder.

"You're not going to ask me to do it in the middle of a meeting or anything, right?"  
I joke. "I mean, technically, I'd have to, considering I promised you I'd do it whenever and wherever. I just don't think the other officers would appreciate it if I was under the table making you come."

"God Kat don't put that in my head," he whines. "Now that's all I'm going to think about in meetings."

I just shrug.

"I already think about that in meetings," I smile and giggle.

"My wife has the dirtiest mind," he jokingly laments.

"Oh, I have the dirty mind?" I shoot back. "Tell me, whose idea was it every time we've had sex in a conference room?"

"Mine," he admits.

"And whose idea was it to have sex on the stairs at home, not even making it to the bedroom?"

"Mine," he repeats. "But you were the one who suggested the kitchen table, the back porch, the front porch, the hallway, the kitchen counter, should I go on?"

"No," I laugh, "that's okay. I remember."

We agree to a cease-fire and eventually get re-dressed.

Later, after we've gotten the twins, we're relaxing and waiting to go meet everyone to eat.

"If we don't find someone suitable soon," Peeta almost whispers, "I don't know Kat. We have an opportunity to end this once and for all."

"I know," I painfully agree. "But I'm not willing to do it at the expense of our family," I say firmly and resolutely. "We've given enough, Peeta."

He just nods, kissing our daughter, who's in his arms, on her head.

"It's a no-win situation," I admit. "We want to be with our kids, raise them together, but we also want our country to be safe and free of the Games. I thought we could have both, but-"

"We can," he interrupts. "We can and we will Katniss."

It's my turn to just nod, and both our gazes turn to the infants in our arms. It's amazing how our priorities changed the moment they were born. When I was pregnant, sure, we knew we'd do anything for them. But that magical moment where we saw them for the first time, heard their cries, kissed their skin, saw their eyes, that was a game-changer. Ever since they were born, I've always been stunned at how quickly I came to love them. It was instantaneous. As soon as they were in my arms, I knew that I'd never loved like this before. My love for their father is different, much different. Peeta's my soul mate, my partner, my lover. We both love our children fiercely, protectively, instinctually. Everyone always told me that being a mother would 'just come' to me once they were born, and they were right. As soon as I saw them, I felt the tug in my heart.

In the cafeteria, the twins get passed around from aunt to uncle, and as usual, they revel in the attention. Sometimes they even seem bored once they make it back to their parents. It always makes me chuckle.

Haymitch joins us and I give him a questioning look, asking silently if he's made any progress in our secret task. He shakes his head slightly in the negative as he sits. My shoulders slump and I sigh.

Peeta and Finnick got up a couple minutes ago to grab some dessert for the table, and I turn to watch as they walk back to the table. I realize something I've never really noticed before. Finnick is pretty much the same height and build as Peeta. Granted, Peeta is more muscular, but Finnick's no lightweight.

I immediately let hope seep in that it seems like I've found a suitable double. But then I really think about it. We'd be asking him to put his life on the line, again, for us. And this would be by far the most dangerous mission yet. He and Annie have done so much for us already. We can't ask any more of them, right? An inner battle starts waging in my head. I know I need to talk to my husband and Haymitch about this.

When the meal's finished, we get up to leave. I quickly lean down and whisper to Haymitch.

"Come to our place when you're done. I need to talk to you and Peeta."

He looks to me and sees I'm serious. He nods his understanding.

"Let's go," I say to Peeta as I grab his hand, our other ones holding our kids against our shoulders.

"What was that about?" He tilts his head back towards Haymitch.

"I told him to come by after he eats. I need to talk to both of you."

Peeta, like Haymitch, can easily see whatever it is I need to speak with them about is serious. Obviously it has to do with our top-secret mission, considering it's just the three of us.

Haymitch shows up twenty minutes after we get back. He gave us just enough time to put the twins down in their cribs. I'm kissing Eve goodnight when he knocks on the door.

"I'll get it," Peeta softly tells me, kissing Eve on the forehead and me on the lips.

"Thanks," I whisper, not taking my eyes off our daughter as she falls asleep.

Eve has ahold of my finger and I'm reluctant to pull away. I could stand right here and watch her forever. She's so innocent, so perfect. I hope she never makes any of the mistakes I've made. I hope she never feels any of the pain her parents have. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure she has a happy life where she's able to do what she wants, able to love who she loves.

I hear Peeta and Haymitch talking quietly in the other room. I let out a deep breath and regretfully remove Eve's tiny fingers from mine. I tuck her in tight and give her a soft kiss on the lips.

"I love you baby girl," I whisper as lowly as possible. "Daddy and I love you so much. Sleep tight. Mommy's here if you need."

I quickly dart over to my son's crib. He's already fast asleep. He takes after Peeta. He could fall asleep in the middle of the cafeteria during the busiest mealtime.

I make sure he's tucked in tight like his sister. Both of them are under the blankets the O'Dairs gave them. I bend down and softly kiss him on the lips.

"I love you baby boy," I whisper in the same tone. "Mommy and daddy will be just outside. Sleep well."

I take one last look at my children before I slowly back out and close the door.

I turn around and both my husband and Haymitch are watching me. From the looks on their faces, I know they know I needed a little time with the kids.

"Sit," Peeta motions for me to sit next to him on the couch. Haymitch is in one of the love seats.

Instead of sitting next to him, I slide right into Peeta's lap. It doesn't faze him at all, and he just wraps his arms around me and brings me close. I sit sideways so I can see Haymitch. Peeta kisses my shoulder then we turn to face the President.

"So what did you want to talk about sweetheart?" Haymitch asks.

"I think I found someone to double for Peeta," I explain slowly.

"Who?" Haymitch starts to get excited at the prospect.

I take a deep breath and exhale, running my hand that's not locked with Peeta's through my hair.

"Finnick," I say so quietly it's barely audible. They both hear it, though.

"Finnick?" Peeta repeats.

I nod sadly.

"You're right," Haymitch nods, thinking about it. "They're pretty much the same build."

"He could definitely pass as Peeta," I agree.

Peeta notices the look on my face.

"You don't think he'll do it?" He asks.

"No, it's not that," I shake my head. "I feel like we've already asked so much of them."

Haymitch and Peeta both nod and process.

"We shouldn't make the decision without at least talking to him," Haymitch suggests after a minute of silence.

"You're right," Peeta adds.

I sigh yet again.

"I guess," I shrug helplessly.

"Kat," Peeta soothes, "I know you feel guilty. I feel the same way. But we can't make a decision for him without him knowing about it."

I meekly nod my agreement and it's settled.

"But what about Katniss?" Peeta asks nobody in particular.

"Annie is around the same height," Haymitch points out. I thought they were going to say that. "Thinking about it, so is Johanna. And Madge."

"I don't know," I huff, frustrated. All three of those women are some of my closest friends and confidants. Can I really ask them to take my place on what seems like a suicide mission?

"I think we should talk to the O'Dairs first," Haymitch makes another wise suggestion. "After that, we'll decide what to do next."

"Okay," Peeta and I say in unison.

Haymitch stands up and gets to the door before turning to speak to us.

"I'll go get them. I'll give you two fifteen minutes to talk."

With that, he leaves, shutting the door quietly behind him.

_**A/N: What will their friends say? We've already seen that they'll do anything for the Mellarks, but is this over the line? Is it too dangerous? Can it really work? Stay tuned to find out!**_

_**Thanks as always for reading and reviewing! **_


	41. Il Capo de Familia

**_A/N: Once again, apologies for dropping off the face of the earth._**

**_Fair warning, this chapter is quite an emotional one. A roller-coaster if you will_**.

**_So please, sit back, relax, and enjoy the much anticipated yet ridiculously tardy next chapter of the 'The Truth _**_**Revealed.'**_

For the first couple minutes after Haymitch leaves, we're both silent. It eventually gets unbearable, and both of us start rapidly speaking at the same time.

"Go ahead," he politely defers. I nod my thanks.

"Can we really ask them to do this?" I blurt out quickly.

Peeta sighs and runs his free hand, the one not currently in my death grip, through his hair.

"There's no doubt that they've come through for us time and again," he begins. "There's also no doubt they'd do it if we asked. On a personal level, they're our best friends, and we don't want to see them in danger in place of us. On a professional level, if this works, it could help end the war much quicker. Technically we're their superiors, but obviously we'd never order them to do anything, much less go on this mission for us."

"I just - I just feel so guilty," I admit. "We have jobs that keep us here, we work together and come home to our family every night. I feel like we're, I don't know, using our friends."

"They don't see it that way," Peeta points out correctly.

"I know. That's why this is so hard."

Our conversation is suddenly interrupted by loud rapping on the door. It's obviously Haymitch, so I holler out for him to come in.

The door swings open, and Haymitch walks in, followed closely by Finnick, Annie, Johanna, and Beetee.

"She refused to be left out," Haymitch shrugs, motioning to Jo.

"It's okay," I nod. "Please, everyone, have a seat. There's some things we need to discuss."

Once everyone's seated, all eyes fall to me and my husband. We have no idea how to even broach this subject, how to ask our friends to risk their lives for us. Again.

Haymitch, seeing our reticence, steps in.

"There's a top-secret mission," he explains slowly. He reveals the entirety of the plan, how we have a golden opportunity to capture Snow and end the war in one fell swoop. The last thing he lays out is how Snow wants Peeta and me.

"There's no fucking way you two are going," Johanna states firmly, actually cutting Haymitch off mid-sentence. "Beetee, come up with some kind of way to make me look like Katniss. I'm going."

My jaw drops. She literally just figured it out before we could even explain it fully. She's so firm, so resolute in her decision, that I'm sure I've never loved her as much as I do in this moment.

"I'm going too."

Every set of eyes snaps to Finnick, whose face shows none of the usual playfulness he's known for. He's dead serious. He's made his decision.

I look to Annie, expecting her to protest or show reticence.

Instead, she looks me right in the eye, and speaks with steel I didn't know she had in her voice.

"You're not talking him out of it," she tells me.

"Guys," Peeta loudly sighs, obviously shaken. "Let's talk this through. Kat and I can't ask you to do this. It's too dangerous."

"Shut up Peeta," Jo interrupts. "Were going, and that's that. I don't give a fuck if you rank higher than us. Try and stop us. I dare you."

Peeta and I are both shocked into silence. We really do have the best friends I the entire world.

"It won't be hard to manufacture disguises," Beetee breaks the tension a bit by delving into technicalities. "Johanna and Finnick are both suited well to impersonate the Mellarks."

"So Mason is going to have to pretend to be married to O'Dair?" Haymitch grins. "You do realize that the Mellarks are almost constantly either touching, kissing, or having sex, right?"

That fully breaks any tension left and we all share a laugh. When it gets loud, I quickly admonish everyone.

"Shut up!" I whisper-yell. "My kids are asleep!"

They all murmur their sorties and I grin at how sheepish they look. All of them truly love the twins.

"I'm not kissing you Finnick," Johanna declares, "no matter how much you beg."

"Aw come on," Finnick jokingly whines, "it won't be that bad."

"You're just excited because everyone knows you're jealous of Peeta," Annie teases.

"What? No I'm not."

"You can't lie to us," I smirk. "We all see how you lovingly gaze at him."

Finnick's jaw comically drops and we give him a break. Annie gives him a peck on the cheek while she uses her finger to close his gaping mouth.

"I don't know what to say," Peeta softly says, his face half hiding behind my hair. "You have no idea what this means to Kat and me."

"Sure we do cinnamon buns," Jo rather gently, for her at least, replies. "If you think for a second any of us are willing to risk those two perfect children growing up without their parents, then you really don't know us at all."

There's really nothing either of us can say to that. Instead, I dart out of Peeta's lap and almost bowl Jo over, thanking her again and again.

"Calm down Mellark," she teases.

"Sorry," I sniffle a bit as I resume my rightful place in my husband's lap. "Do you guys even have an inkling how much we love you?" I ask the room once I'm a bit more composed.

"Not nearly as much as we love you."

I would've expected to hear those words from Annie or Finnick's mouths. But they're not the ones that said it.

Haymitch said it.

He rolls his eyes at the look I'm giving him.

I mouth 'thank you' to him and he smiles.

"So we have to make a video to send Snow, right?" Peeta asks. Haymitch and Beetee nod. "How about tomorrow after breakfast?"

We hash out some more of the details, and soon Peeta and I are alone again. He had to basically peel me off of Johanna when she left, as I was again showing her how grateful I am for her.

"We have the best friends in the world," he declares as we sit on the end of our bed.

"We really do baby, we really do," I agree wholeheartedly.

I lean my head on his shoulder and we let out a collective sigh. On one hand, we're relieved that we found a solution. On the other, we're putting our friends, our family, directly in the path of danger. We'd be naive if we thought, even for a second, that Snow will go down without a fight. That's assuming he even shows up in person, which we've decided is basically a toss-up.

"Peeta?"

"What is it Kat?"

"Do you really want us to be the ones to kill him?"

He doesn't respond immediately, so I shift my head and look up at him. His gaze is intently focused somewhere on the bare walls of our bedroom. I think about it and realize he's looking in the direction of the twins' room, where they're peacefully slumbering.

"I will not let them grow up in this world," he finally whispers fiercely. "There are thousands of innocent people in this country, thousands of children, that deserve to live their lives in peace. If I can do anything to help that become a reality, I'm going to do it."

I'm taken aback at his words. I've always know he's a selfless person. It's one of the first things anyone notices about my husband. I've always known he'd go to any lengths to protect the people he cares about, especially myself and our children. He's proven that too many times already.

"I know," I nod. "I know you'd do anything to help people in need. It's one of the billion reasons I love you. But killing him would be different Peeta."

"What do you mean?"

I need to look in his eyes when I explain this, so I coax him further back onto the bed until we're sitting face-to-face cross legged, our hands firmly entwined between us. I wait until I'm sure I have his undivided attention.

"I want him dead as bad as you," I begin by assuring him. "But I don't want you to be the one to do it."

"Why?" He looks hurt, like he thinks I don't think he's man enough or something idiotic like that. "I've killed people before," he sadly adds.

"Not like this," I reply gently but firmly. "You've taken life in self-defense. You've never killed an unarmed person, never had time to think about it, to fully understand the implications."

"So you don't think I'm strong enough?"

I try to reign in my frustration. I'm actually a little peeved he'd even contemplate believing that's what I'm thinking. I take a deep, calming breath before I continue.

"The first time I killed something I was six," I confess. I once again have his attention, and the concern and sympathy in his eyes almost makes me want to stop. Almost. "It was a squirrel. My dad had been teaching me how to shoot for a while, but up til then I was just shooting trees and targets." I take a moment, the telling of my story bringing fresh memories of those seemingly endless days of following my dad around the woods as he taught me everything I needed to survive.

"You don't have to go on," Peeta assures me quietly.

"No, I have to," I shake my head. He nods slightly. "I missed on my first shot. I didn't kill the squirrel instantly. When we got to it, it was in death throes, squirming and making horrible noises, my arrow stuck in its body. My dad handed me his knife and didn't say a word."

"You were so young though."

"I was," I agree, "but my dad knew. He somehow knew that one day, I'd need to be able to kill without hesitation, if only for our survival."

I stop again momentarily, collecting my thoughts. Peeta's gentle rubbing on my hand with his thumb grounds me and reminds me why I'm telling him all this in the first place.

"I can still remember it like it was yesterday. I watched it die, watched the life drain from its body. Peeta, taking life isn't easy. We both know that too well. It's not that I don't think you're strong enough or that you're not capable. It's that I don't ever want you to have to experience that."

He nods sadly, taking in my words.

"We're parents," I go on shakily, "what we do doesn't just affect the two of us anymore. When we capture Snow, he will die, of that I have no illusions whatsoever. I just think we should step aside knowing that we're doing what's right for our family."

I let him digest my impassioned plea. I know he thinks it's his duty as a husband and a father to protect us, and in his mind that means killing the greatest threat we have.

"I can't do this alone," I venture softly. "I need you Peeta, never doubt that. The kids need you. I'm not just talking about physically being there. I'm talking about our children growing up with the man I fell in love with, the man who saved me, the man who loves his family above all."

"You think killing him would change me," he states flatly. I almost groan but hold it in, just barely.

"I was never the same after that day in the woods. My childhood was effectively over. I've killed, sweetie. I've killed animals and people and each time I felt like a piece of my soul was crumbling inside me. Please, Peeta, I'm begging you. You're the strongest person I've ever met. I have no doubt you could kill Snow. Once you thought about us and the kids, you'd have no reservations. It's just that I don't want you to have to do that. It doesn't make you any less of a man, in fact it's just the opposite. You're always so brave, so courageous."

Now I'm terrified he's going to take all this the wrong way. He shuts his eyes tightly and his entire body tenses, even his grip on my hand is stiffer.

Without a word, he slips his hands out of mine and gets up off the bed. I stare at the empty spot he vacated as I hear the bedroom door shut behind him. What have I done?

It's almost an hour later that I build up enough courage to seek him out. I open the door to the living room and find it empty. He's not in the kitchen either, leaving only one place.

My heart jumps into my throat when I peek into the twins' room and don't find my husband sitting in the rocking chair where I expected him to be.

I turn around and that's when I notice the small note on the side table next to the couch in the living room.

Trembling, I sit down as I grab it, afraid to read the words written on it in black ink.

**_Katniss,_**

**_I'm sorry for leaving you alone with the kids, but I just need some time alone._**

**_You're right about a lot of things. I know how hard it was for you to relive that day with your dad, and I am so grateful for you telling me._**

**_I'm afraid if I stay, I'll say something I'll regret. The last thing I want is to fight with you. I hate it._**

**_The truth is that while you called me brave, I'm really not. I'm a coward. I couldn't beat Cato and it almost cost us both our lives. I let Gale beat me unconscious and I almost lost you and the twins. You got shot protecting me from Francis._**

**_I don't want to let you down. I can't._**

**_I'm just so confused right now. I don't know what to do._**

**_I don't know when I'll be back, I'm sorry. I'm being a coward again, but I don't know what else to do._**

**_- Peeta_**

Anger bubbles up inside me. First, he didn't even sign it with 'love' or anything like that. In fact, the entire note sounded rather clinical, impersonal.

How can he just leave? Walk out the door, leaving his family behind at a time like this? Plus he knows that I have to stay here with the kids, that I won't wake them up just to subject them to roaming the halls looking for their father.

Right now, I could punch my self-righteous husband right in the face.

I crumple up the note in disgust and toss it across the room. It hits the wall and slides down into the carpet.

After I laid my heart out telling him about the first time I killed, he just up and leaves. Is he really stupid enough to think he's the only one affected in this mess? That right now I could really use the one person that understands me, the only person that can ever comfort me, make me feel safe?

Now I'm furious. He's being selfish. He's being unfair. Most of all, he's knowingly leaving me while I'm in a fragile state, knowing full well my issues with men abandoning me. Men who I love and love me.

My anger morphs into an all-encompassing sadness. Before I know it, I'm hysterically crying. Nothing I try can get me to stop or even slow down. Damn him. Damn Peeta Mellark.

I soon find myself in the makeshift nursery. I collapse in the middle of the room, curling into the fetal position as I bawl. The only thing keeping me tethered to reality is the soft, rhythmic breathing of the twins.

I have no idea how much time has passed as I groggily come to. The babies are still sleeping soundly. It takes me a moment to get my bearings.

When I do, I realize there's someone standing in the doorway. It can only be one person.

"Kat," he whispers painfully.

"Get out," I hiss, keeping my voice low for the kid's sake.

"Katni-"

"I said get out. I have nothing to say to you right now. Leave me the fuck alone honey." The venom I insert into the last word makes me cringe inwardly, but he should know how much he's hurt me.

He sighs deeply, running his hand through his hair.

"I'll go crash in our office."

With that, he turns to leave. But before he's out of my sight, he stops and turns his head to me.

"I love you Katniss. I'm so sorry."

My heart screams for me to chase after him, to fall into his arms and forget all about this. But I hear the front door click shut before I can act, and I can't help but feel I've only made it much worse.

I crawl to the nearest phone and call Annie. She doesn't even need to hear me utter a word before she tells me she's on her way and hangs up. I guess my audible cries clued her in enough.

"Come on," she gently rubs my back when she arrives. I'm still on the floor. "Let's go sit on the couch. I'll make some hot cocoa."

I manage a tiny nod and she helps me up. I barely make it to the couch before I collapse onto it, exhausted in every way.

Over two steaming mugs of hot chocolate, I tell her everything. She even retrieves the note and reads it, her brow furrowed as she does.

"Well?" I prompt impatiently. I expected her to delve into giving me advice, telling me how to fix this.

"He feels inadequate," she states flatly.

"What? Why would he ever feel that way?"

"It's obvious, Katniss. Think about it. You kept him alive in the Arena. You go out and hunt and kill."

"So?"

"Come on, I refuse to believe you're that stupid," she harshly admonishes. "He's the husband. He's the father. He's the man, the leader of the family."

"Of course he is," I agree. "We've talked about this, about how I don't let him be the husband and father. I'm trying hard Annie, I really am."

"Not hard enough," she almost snaps. "When you told him you didn't want him to kill Snow, he thought that means you don't believe in him, that he's not good enough. You can deny it to him until you're blue in the face, but it won't work."

"What do I do?" I sob. "I'm not trying to hurt him. I love him. I believe in him."

"Nobody doubts you love him, most of all Peeta. That's not the issue."

I really don't know what to say or what to do. I'm lost I the wilderness and the one person who can bring me back is nowhere to be found.

"Go to him. I'll call Fin and we'll stay here with the twins."

"I can't," I whimper. "He hates me. When he came back I swore at him and told him to get out."

"The last thing that Peeta Mellark will ever do is hate you, you hear me?"

I know in my heart she's right, but I'm still terrified. He's all by himself, without his wife and kids, and the last thing I said to him was pure venom.

Fin shows up and joins Annie in goading me into going to Peeta.

"Fine," I huff. "Thank you," I add quietly.

I give my kids a kiss each and head for the front door.

I swear this is the longest walk of my life. I take this same exact route everyday, but right now it seems endless. The closer I get, the more I start to freak out. I feel like I did when I finally knocked on his door and confessed. I have absolutely no idea what to say to him.

I guess I zoned out, because suddenly I'm standing at the door to our office.

I can't hear anything, but I can tell the lights are on dimly.

Slowly, I turn the knob and open the door as quietly as possible.

His back is to me, sitting in one of the comfy chairs we have around our office for guests and whatnot.

I creep into the room, unable to face him just yet. As I gradually get closer, I see he's reading something.

It only takes me but a second to figure out what it is.

It's the letter I wrote him, all about the things I love about him.

It's getting hard to both hold my tears back and refrain from literally jumping into his arms.

"Are you going to stand there all night or come sit?"

He surprises me with his voice. It sounds flat, unemotional. Nothing like the usual warmth and love his tone emanates.

I carefully move to the closest chair to him and sit. I stare at the floor, unable too look him in the eye just yet.

"I'm sorry I left you with the twi-", he starts, but I immediately cut him off.

"Don't you dare even try to pull that shit ever again," I scold. "I don't fucking care if we're arguing or fighting, but you are never, ever allowed to leave our children like that. Are we clear?"

He nods. It's not good enough.

"Say it," I demand. "Now."

"I understand," he whispers painfully.

"Out of everyone in my life, everyone I care about, you're the last person I expected to do that."

"I'm sorry," he says barely audibly.

"I am too," I sincerely tell him. "Look, Peeta, I hate fighting with you as much as you. I love you so much it hurts. Do you even know how I felt when I came out of the bedroom and you were gone? You just left me a note, which by the way, fucking infuriated me. You couldn't even close it with "love"."

"I know. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you like that."

"I'm not worried about me," I almost snap. "Did you even kiss your children goodbye, or were you too wrapped up in your own shit that you just walked away? I swear to god, Peeta Mellark, you're going to need a suit of armor if you ever do that again."

From the look on his face, I know I hit it spot on. I hate talking to him like this, but he needs to understand the consequences of his actions.

"But you want to know what hurt the most?" I don't let him answer. "You left. You left me and our children alone. You walked away from your problems instead of facing them head on. I'm an expert at that, so don't even think about denying it. Do you have even the slightest clue what you leaving does to me? Prim has spent most of her life without her own father. I'll do anything, anything at all, to make sure the twins never have to experience that pain."

He's speechless. I've done the impossible.

"As for the root of this entire argument, I realize at least half the blame lies at my feet. We're both wrong and we're both right. You're my husband, the father of my children, my best friend. If you have felt, even for a moment, that you are the unquestioned head of our family, then I apologize. I can blame it on the fact that I was the de-facto head of my family after dad died, but that's a cop out. I'm going to try harder, I promise."

He shuts his eyes and I patiently wait. I've said all I can say right now.

Finally, he opens his eyes, and from the look on his face I know exactly what he's going to say.

"Don't,"I preempt. "No more apologizing. We made mistakes, yes, but we move on together, as a family. "

He drops his head, most likely out of a combination of shame or guilt.

"Peeta, look at me."

He doesn't raise his eyes an inch.

"Peeta Mellark, look at your wife this instant." This time my tone leaves no room for defiance.

He finally makes eye contact and I can see clearly how much this entire stupid thing has affected him.

"I love you," I tell him with as much love, determination, and faith I can muster. "I'm sorry I yelled."

"It's okay," he assures me with a small smile. "I love you too Kat."

"I see you were reading my letter?"

"Yeah," he nods, glancing at the item on the table.

"Can I ask why?"

"To help remind me how lucky I am. How stupid I'm acting."

"You are acting pretty stupid," I grin sarcastically.

"Look Kat," he sighs, "I get everything you said. You pretty much laid it out for me, and I understand. I overreacted. It's just - god how do I say this - it's just that I have this innate, undeniable, almost overpowering need to protect you and our family. I don't need you to stroke my ego about me being the head of the family. You and I have always made decisions together, and I never want that to change."

"Me either," I confirm. "But sweetie, take a look at my shirt. What does it say?"

"Colonel Katniss Mellark," he answers confusingly.

"Exactly," I smile. "I'm Mrs. Peeta Mellark. I took your last name when I became your wife not only to show the world who I belong to, but to show you. I'm yours, Peeta, and you're stuck with me. We may not have the most traditional of marriages, but one thing is absolutely certain. You are the husband. You are the father. You are the patriarch. You are the ultimate protector, the man whose family depends on to always be there. I know that you sometimes feel, well, inadequate because of the things I do. But when it all boils down, when we push all the unnecessary shit to the side, you, and only you, are the head of this family."

I've had enough of our separation, so I quickly stand and slide onto his lap. His arms automatically go around me and pull me nice and close, his hot breath tickling my neck.

"I think that's about enough for tonight," I declare.

"Thank you Katniss."

"You're welcome." I kiss him on the lips.

"You're right about Snow," he admits. "It's not something we need to personally do."

"Shhh," I shush him with a finger on his lips. "Enough talking."

"Sorry," he mumbles, as I'm still keeping his mouth shut. I giggle at how funny it is.

"Well, husband, I think it's about time you take advantage of your ready, willing, and most certainly horny wife. She is yours after all."

"I'd love nothing more," he smiles, the smile I've been waiting to see.

"Hey Peeta?" I whisper between kisses. He's fumbling with the snap on my cargos and I grin at the determined look on his face.

"Hmm?"

I tilt his chin up so I can look in his eyes as I speak.

"Knock me up."


	42. Calm Before The Storm

"The only reason were even agreeing to this is because we detest war."

Peeta's strong, deep tone sends a shiver down my spine. I tighten my grip on his hand as we film our 'submission' to Snow. This is critical. We have to have him believe that we're going to show, and that he himself has to meet us.

"Don't misunderstand my husband," I almost growl. "We will gladly fight you until Panem is free. But if you're serious about ending this war, we're willing to save lives on both sides."

"We will see you soon," Peeta adds. "Don't underestimate us, Snow. There are no lengths I wouldn't go to in order to protect the people of this country, my friends, my family, and above all, my children and my wife."

"Cut!" Plutarch yells. The studio falls into silence.

"Cinnamon buns just legitimately scared the crap out of me," Johana seriously says out of the blue.

That breaks the tension and we all laugh. It's true, though. No one could ever doubt the truth of his last statement, and it makes my heart swell with pride for my husband.

"Ill edit it and send it to the Capitol," Plutarch tells us. "Good job Mr. and Mrs. Mellark."

As the rest of our friends were in the studio watching, we all make our way to the cafeteria for some grub.

"What happens now?" Annie asks as we sit down.

"We wait to hear from Snow I guess," I shrug. "Set a place and time for the meet."

"Think he'll buy it?" Johanna asks.

"Probably," Peeta nods. "If he wants us bad enough, which we think he does, he has a blind spot. We're just exploiting it."

"Wait a sec," Johanna glances around comically. "Where are your kids?"

"Calm down Jo," I chuckle. "They're with all three of their grandparents."

"Oh," she nods, suddenly trying to at like she wasn't worried.

"You can come by later and spend some time with them," I lean and whisper so only she can hear. She gives me a grateful nod and I playfully bump her with my hip. My kids are turning her into one big softie.

We predict that once Snow receives our 'surrender', he won't waste time in wanting to meet. Beetee has the disguises ready, and while Jo and Finnick are the only ones who've seen them yet, we're confident that they're going to work.

"What if he doesn't show?" Annie asks the one huge question we've all been pondering.

"Then we capture whoever he sent, thank god nobody got hurt, and try to end this war another way," Peeta calmly explains after a couple moments.

"If we do get Snow," I add, "chances are we end the war in a matter of days, if not hours. If there's one thing we've learned about the typical Capitol foot soldier, it's that the only reason they're fighting us is fear of Snow. Once given the opportunity, the vast majority are more than willing, eager really, to join our side. Plus, as we get closer and closer to the Capitol, they're realizing which is the winning side. It's just a matter of time."

The rest of the meal is typical. We banter, tease, joke, laugh, and generally have a good time. There's no more mention of the dangerous mission Finnick and Johanna have ahead of them.

A few hours later, Peeta and I are working in our office when my phone rings.

"Mellark", I answer as I pick it up.

"General, Lt. Manning and his team are here for your meeting," one of our aides relays.

"Very well, please send them in. Thank you lieutenant."

Manning and his team file in and stand before us at attention.

"At ease," Peeta nods after we salute back.

"Lieutenant, team," I greet them .

"Ma'am," they reply in unison.

I nod to Peeta and he types in the code on my keyboard that secures our office. No surveillance of any kind can penetrate it.

"There's a dangerous mission coming up," Peeta begins. "It's so dangerous in fact that we've decided the only way anyone is going on it is if they volunteer. We refuse to order anyone to go."

Their eyes widen at this. They've been our go-to team for a while now. Their success in capturing The Nut has made them legends. They're by far our best special ops team.

"What's the mission generals?" Manning asks.

"Tom," Peeta calmly says. The implications him using Manning's real name is not lost on anyone. "I'm not going to lie. This mission is important. Maybe even the most important of the entire war. But we have no way to absolutely guarantee your safety, or even tell you that we'll be able to bring you home."

"That's fine general," one of the sergeants speaks up. "We can find our own ride home."

"I have no doubt you could," Peeta seriously replies. "We understand that we have no right to ask you men to risk your lives for us again. Nobody can say you haven't served your country with courage, honor and distinction. But the fact remains we need our very best on this mission. Gentlemen, the very best of this army is standing in this office right now."

"If I may, what's the mission sir?" Manning asks after a minute.

"To capture Coriolanus Snow," I reveal.

You could hear a pin drop. The team digests what I've told them, and, one by one, they smile.

"Were in," Manning declares.

"You don't have to commit now," I assure them. "We don't even know when or where the mission is going to take place. Take some time, think it over."

Manning takes a moment to look into every one of his men's eyes before he turns back to us.

"With all due respect ma'am," he crisply states, "my team and I volunteer regardless."

"You're sure?" I ask. He nods. "And all of you? You're sure?" I look to each of his men, who give me their unanimous affirmation. "Very well. Peeta, let's brief them fully."

As we reveal the plan, it's easy to see the excitement in their eyes. This is a once-in-a-lifetime mission. They're already heroes. This will make them legends.

But that's not why they're doing this. In fact, even suggesting that they've agreed out of glory hunting would anger each and every one of them.

To them, it's their duty. Plain and simple.

Now we wait. Beetee has sent the video to Snow. Anxiously, we all await his response.

The briefing finished, Peeta and I find ourselves alone in our office again.

"I'm glad the team is going with Finnick and Jo," Peeta tells me as we sit on the couch.

"Me too. I feel better about their safety now," I agree. "But I still feel guilty they're going in our place."

"I know," he kisses the crown of my head softly. "I know how much you want to fight, to be out there with your bow."

His words trail off, and by the end it's easy to hear the sadness in them.

"No," I shake my head, turning to look at him. "I don't want to be out there. Not at all. I feel bad because they're going instead of us, but that doesn't mean I want any of us to go at all."

"It's okay Kat," Peeta quietly says, his eyes averted. "You're allowed to feel how you do."

He just doesn't get it.

"Hey," I forcefully almost snap, cupping his cheek and making him look at me. "The only place I ever want to be is right here, with you. Maybe if things were different I'd want to be fighting. But we have a family, Peeta. We have two children who rely on us, who need their mommy and daddy to be there for them. There's a chance that right now, a sibling or two is on the way, and there is nothing in this world that could ever make me even contemplate risking that. The old me, sure, I'd want to be the one going out and capturing Snow. But me now? The wife and mother? My duty is and always will be first and foremost to my family."

He looks blown away by my words. Stunned, really.

"You really mean that?" He whispers.

"Every single word," I confirm before I kiss him gently. "Let's get out of here baby. I want to spend time with you and our babies."

His smile only gets bigger.

Two days later, we're summoned to Haymitch's office. When we get there, we find the president, Beetee, Johanna, Finnick, and Lt. Manning.

"Here they are," Haymitch comments as we stroll through the door. "What took you so long? Had to get dressed?" He teases.

"Yep," I nod unapologetically. "I thought it would be fun to soil the presidential sheets. You might want to have them washed before you go to bed tonight, Mr. President." I could care less that he's the president. He's still Haymitch, and we still are going to tease each other.

"I've given up all hope of getting her to stop saying things like that," Jo sighs as she slaps a palm to her forehead. "Maybe you can do something?" She looks to my husband.

"Nope," Peeta grins and shakes his head. "I rather like my wife the way she is."

"Okay, okay, enough," Haymitch stops us with a small smile. "We have serious business to discuss."

We all put our game faces on, awaiting his start.

"We have our reply from Snow. Beetee analyzed it and it's genuine."

"Did he buy it?" Peeta asks.

"Looks that way," Haymitch nods.

"We have to operate under the assumption that he's setting his own trap," Finnick adds. "We need to be ready for anything."

"We will be, generals," Manning speaks up. "My team and I will do whatever is needed for the safety and success of the mission. Safety first."

"That's why we asked you to go on this mission," Haymitch praises the soldier.

"So when's the meet?" I ask.

"Day after tomorrow," Haymitch reveals. Silence falls over the room. "We'll meet at midnight tomorrow in the presidential hovercraft hanger. Until then, relax, prepare, and spend time with your friends and family."

We take his advice. Even though Peeta and I aren't going on the mission, we still feel nervous apprehension. There's no way we're not going to be watching every second of it unfold from command. As long as our friends are in danger, we're going to do everything in our power to protect them.

By the time we make it back to our room, we're both utterly exhausted. Prim, who'd been watching the kids, tells us they were perfect and have been asleep for a while. We thank her and she quietly leaves.

I'm barely able to stay awake as we tiptoe into the nursery. No matter how crappy our day is, or how tired we are, Peeta and I always make sure to kiss our kids goodnight. Even if they're still babies, we never want them to go even one day without knowing their parents are here and that we love them.

As soon as my head lays onto Peeta's chest, I'm out like a light.

"Kat," I hear Peeta's faint voice, like an echo. "Baby wake up!"

I snap my eyes open. Peeta's cradling my face in his hands, the worry evident in his eyes. I realize I'm slightly trembling.

"What," I stumble, still half asleep, "what's going on?"

"You were screaming," he whispers. "Nightmare?"

It all floods back, playing in my head like a movie. Somehow Snow got loose after we captured him. He came right here - to our apartment - and - and - I can't even bear to think about it.

"Come here," Peeta coaxes. He pulls me closer and I willingly latch onto him tighter. He understands I can't talk about it right now. He doesn't even have to ask - he sees it. He knows that all he can do to help me is comfort me, which really actually helps me more than just about anything.

"Do you think we're going to have a boy or a girl next?" He asks after a couple minutes.

I laugh, the sound muffled because my face is buried in his chest.

"I'm not sure," I tell him as I look up into his eyes. "The first time one just wasn't good enough for you. No, I had to carry one of each," I tease.

"Hey, I had to put up with you while you were carrying them," he grins.

"Peeta Mellark," I warn, "do I have to remind you I'm the one who got big as a whale for nine months? Went through not one, but two births? All you had to do was make me food when I wanted it."

"Are you forgetting about cleaning up after Hurricane Katniss?" He grins. "Or how about the time you flipped out and yelled at me because I had a tuna sandwich?"

"Hey!" I take mock offense. "You should've known the smell of tuna made me sick." The look on his face makes me giggle. "Okay, fair enough. At that point pretty much everything made me sick. But if I remember correctly, you weren't exactly complaining later that night when I profusely apologized. Three times."

His eyes slightly glaze over, as I'm sure mine do as well, as we remember those days. The closer I got to term, the crazier my hormones got. Neither of us really minded all that much.

"That's one aspect of you getting pregnant I'm looking forward to," he smiles wide. "Besides the obvious, of course. You'll be carrying our child again, which, by itself, is possibly the most beautiful thing I'll ever see."

"You don't have to sweet talk me," I insist. "In case you haven't noticed, you already have me in bed," I smirk.

"Please," he waves me off sarcastically, "I could get you in bed without saying a word. Actually, I believe I've done that on more than one occasion."

"So you might have a valid point," I admit. "The question is, are you going to take advance? You see, your wife had a terrible nightmare that scared her. Instead of asking her to relive it, you decided to do what you do best, and make her happy. Now, she's pretty keen on returning the favor."

"Well, when you put it that way..."

"Peeta," I cover his lip with my index finger. He softly kisses it. "I love you, and I love when we tease each other, but right now I need you."

"You need me, huh?" His eyes dance with mirth. I'm not joking around anymore though.

"Yes, Peeta," I seriously reply. "Remember how you said me carrying our children is beautiful?"

He nods and smiles. I kiss him hard then whisper against his lips.

"Prove it."


	43. All War Is Deception

We sit in silence as our friends prepare for their mission. Manning and his team are all geared up and ready to go. Again, Beetee has given them helmet cams so we can watch the mission live from Command.

Finally, the door opens and Finnick and Jo appear. Although, it seems more like looking into a mirror.

"Whoa," Peeta mumbles.

"I know, right?" Jo chuckles. She even sounds like me.

I stand up and approach her, looking over the entire disguise. They even had Cinna and Portia replicate our uniforms, right down to the 'Col. K Mellark' on the breast of the shirt. What blows me away, though, is when I look into her eyes. It's like looking into my own, or even into my son's, who shares my grey hue. I look over at Finnick, who looks so much like Peeta I might mix them up at some point. I notice they even have gold wedding bands on.

Annie approaches Finnick grinning, obviously teasing him. I can't help but join.

"Looks like your wish came true," I grin at Annie. "You finally get to be married to Peeta Mellark."

Everyone laughs, easing the tension a bit. That is, until we realize it's time.

We walk as a group to the presidential hanger, making sure nobody sees us along the way. When we arrive, Lt. Manning and his team are waiting with Haymitch, Plutarch, and Beetee.

"I don't have to tell any of you how vital and important this mission is," Haymitch addresses everyone present. "I have every confidence that the team we've assembled is more than capable of getting the job done. However, if anything goes wrong, the safety of this team is of the highest priority. If you have to choose between one of your lives and capturing Snow, choose the former. That's a direct order."

"Sir, with all due respect, we can end the war if we get him," Manning carefully says. "I can speak for my team when I say we'd gladly lay down our lives for the citizens of this nation."

I'm again blown away by these soldiers. They're simply the epitome of the best of us.

"I understand," Haymitch nods. "While we'll be watching and communicating from Command, you will have a better grasp of what's happening on the ground. I trust you to make the right decisions when the time comes. But don't feel like any of you have anything to prove. If anything, this country already owes you a great debt."

Saying goodbye is, well, weird. It feels like I'm hugging myself. Johanna promises to bring Snow back, telling me we can both kick him in the balls. I laugh and make her promise to get back here in one piece.

Finnick is even weirder. Peeta stands by my side while I give Finnick a hug, and no matter how odd it feels, I still make him promise the same thing Jo did. He swears to bring everyone back safe and sound. He also tells me he'll deliver Snow on a platter. I grin as he and Jo board the hovercraft.

Soon, they're gone. Annie is holding up okay, but I can see its already taking its toll.

"Come on," I grasp her hand and tug her away from the hanger. "It's going to take them a couple hours to get there. I know of two little people who would love to see their Aunt Annie right about now."

She smiles sadly and walks with me, Peeta trailing a couple steps back, understanding that Annie needs support. I know I'd be a wreck if it was Peeta and not Finnick on that hovercraft.

We're able to give her a couple hours of relative happiness until we get called to Command. Prim and Peeta's brothers show up to babysit.

We gather in the presidential command center, which is much smaller than Command. The only people in the room are me, Peeta, Annie, Beetee, Plutarch, Haymitch, and General Quentin.

The agreement with Snow stipulates that one hovercraft from us and one from him will meet in a deserted are of District 7, Jo's home. There's a clearing in the woods that both hovercrafts have the coordinates for. When we found out the location, Beetee immediately re-tasked surveillance, so we know that for at least the lat few days, nobody and nothing has even approached the area. We were, and still are, worried about a possible trap.

The hovercraft is a few miles from the designated meeting spot. I give the order for Manning to deploy his overwatch team. His two best snipers, along with their spotters, parachute from the hovercraft. They'll quickly make their way towards the clearing and set up two vantage points with overlapping fields of fire. It's critical that they will be able to protect the rest of the team.

Finally the hovercraft slowly descends into the clearing. From their positions on our live map, we know the snipers are in position.

"It's a go," Peeta simply orders.

The hovercraft touches down, followed a split second later by the Capitol's hovercraft. They sit for a few tense moments, about a hundred yards apart, until their ramps open almost simultaneously. This is the moment of truth.

Finnick and Jo slowly make their way down the ramp. We see figures appear across from them.

First, two heavily armored soldiers appear. Then, the moment we've waited for.

Snow.

"Run the facial recognition," Haymitch tells Beetee.

It only takes about two seconds.

"It's confirmed," Beetee nods. "Facial recognition and bio scan both match one hundred percent."

Everyone glances around at one another. Haymitch gives me a slight nod.

I key my mic and talk as calmly as possible.

"Target confirmed. Overwatch, prepare to fire on my command."

"Roger, General," I hear one of the spotters whisper back.

Just then, two more soldiers appear at Snow's side. One of them whispers into his ear. Snow thinks for a second, then whispers something back.

That's when all hell breaks loose.

One of the Capitol soldiers raises his rifle. I realize quickly he's aiming directly at Johanna.

He fires, and time slows to a painful crawl.

I sent her in my place, and now she's about to get shot.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, one of Manning's man tackles her from the side. I see the bullet impact his back, where I know he has a heavy bulletproof plate under his vest.

"Execute! Execute!" I all but scream into my mic.

A split second later, the first two Capitol soldiers both hit the ground, dead, with a bullet to the head. I see Finnick draw his pistol as Manning and his team rush the clearing.

Finnick takes out one soldier while the snipers take care of another. There's only one left, and he's guarding Snow, trying to shield him from the hail of bullets.

Johanna and Finnick approach him slowly.

"Give it up," Finnick tries to reason, "you're surrounded."

"Ah, on the contrary," Snow snivels. "You see, I know you're not really Peeta Mellark. If I have to venture an educated guess, I'd say you are in fact Finnick O'Dair." Snow looks mightily impressed with himself.

Finnick and Johanna just laugh. Manning and his team continue to sweep the area, checking out the perimeter and searching Snow's hovercraft. They emerge with the pilot and co-pilot already cuffed.

"I wouldn't laugh if I were you," Snow goes on, supremely confident. "Did you think I would be dumb enough to come alone? In about five seconds, my marksmen are going to kill you. If you wish to say goodbye to your 'friends', now's the time."

As soon as he finishes speaking, two shots ring out. My heart stops and I almost forget to breathe.

But, instead of Finnick and Johanna collapsing dead, two Capitol soldiers unceremoniously tumble out of two nearby trees. They're both dead before they hit the ground.

"Hit," I hear one spotter relay. The other repeats the statement.

"Sorry, you were saying?" Johanna teases Snow.

Snow tries to remain confident, but it's easy to see he's beginning to realize he's lost. He still has his one bodyguard left, though.

The soldier who took the bullet for Johanna is now fully recovered and rejoins the team. He's in pain, but luckily his armor stopped the bullet. He'll probably have a nasty bruise for awhile, but it's better than being dead.

"Finnick, hand the soldier your earpiece," Peeta tells him seriously.

Finnick nods and takes it out of his ear. He steps up to the soldier and holds it out.

"It's for you," he deadpans.

The soldier keeps his gun trained on Finnick as he puts it into his ear.

"This is General Peeta Mellark. Who am I speaking with?"

"Captain Pluto Cicero," the soldier answers.

"Captain, I understand your loyalty to Snow. You are, after all, a soldier. Soldiers follow orders. But surely you see you're defeated. I don't want to have to order my team to kill you, but I will not hesitate if you make me."

"Surrendering is not in my blood General."

"I understand and I respect that, but you only have two choices right now. Put down your rifle and hand Snow over, or get shot in the head and we take Snow by force. He's coming with us either way. What's yet to be determined is if you'll be on the hovercraft with him."

It sounds cold and calculating, and I cringe a bit at hearing the words from my husband's mouth.

The Captain seems to be mulling it over.

"If I surrender you're just going to execute me," he says after a few tense moments.

"No," Peeta immediately responds. "You will be given the same options as all prisoners we take. You can prove your loyalty and join our army while retaining your current rank, or you can choose to serve a jail sentence. I give you my word no harm will come to you. It's not how we do things now."

"He's a liar," Snow tries to tell Cicero. "Whatever he's telling you it's a lie."

"What'll it be, Captain?" Johanna impatiently steps in. "We don't have all day. Snow here has a hot date with a dark dank cell. Wouldn't want him to be late, now would we?"

"Ah, Ms. Mason," Snow sneers. "I thought that was you. Excellent disguises though. You even sound like Katniss Everdeen."

Ignoring the Captain, Johanna steps right up to Snow and hits him with a hard right cross. He goes down like a sack of potatoes.

"Her name is Katniss Mellark. Mrs. Mellark to assholes like you. Get off your ass Snow. Your jaw must be made of glass."

Using the distraction provided, Finnick swiftly kicks the rifle out of Cicero's grasp. Before he can react, Manning has grabbed both his arms and wrestled him to ground, pinning him down and using flex cuffs to restrain him. He hands Finnick his ear piece back.

Snow stands back up and faces Johanna. She doesn't let him say a word before she also wrestles him to the ground, and with Finnick's help, restrains him.

A collective sigh is heard from just about everyone. Snow is in our custody. Our only casualty was the young Corporal who took a bullet for Jo, but he's fine.

"Overwatch, return to the hovercraft," I order quickly. "Manning, get Snow and Cicero on board ASAP and return to base."

"Yes ma'am," a chorus of replies reaches my ears.

"Oh, and team?" I add. The comms go silent. "Great job. Flawless execution."

"When he's on the hovercraft, hog tie Snow," Haymitch tells he team.

"Why?" Finnick asks. "He's already restrained."

"Oh he's no threat," Haymitch answers. "He just doesn't deserve a seat. Hog tie him and leave him on the floor of the hovercraft. Gag him too. We've all heard enough of his shit for a lifetime."

"With pleasure." I see Johanna and Finnick smirking.

A couple minutes later, the entire team plus Snow, Cicero, the pilot and the co-pilot are airborne and headed back to 13. A moment after they clear the area, Snow's hovercraft blows up into a million pieces. We debated capturing it, but Peeta provided a better plan. When the Capitol inevitably comes looking for Snow, all they'll find is ashes and the two bodies of Snow's snipers. It will look like Snow went up in flames with his hovercraft. Hopefully this will lessen the morale of his troops enough so that when we reveal we actually have Snow alive and well, they'll be more inclined to make a deal.

It'll take the team a couple hours to return, so Haymitch dismisses us. Peeta and I are the last two left in the room, and as we're about to leave, we hear Cicero on the open mic feed from the hovercraft. He's talking to Finnick. He and Johanna have shed their disguises and are back to their old selves.

"That was all bullshit to get me to give up, wasn't it?" He asks.

"Well what did Peeta, I mean General Mellark, tell you?"

"That I can either join your army or serve time, and that I wouldn't be harmed or executed."

"Well, if there's one thing I know about him, it's that General Mellark never lies. What he told you is what he meant. To him, that was a binding contract."

"But I was just guarding Snow," Cicero points out.

"True," Finnick concedes. "But we're nothing like the Capitol. We believe in second chances. We believe that given the choice, most honorable people will want to help us fight to free this country, not oppress it. Granted, a majority of commissioned officers choose to serve time in jail, but we give each and every one the same choice we're giving you."

"You know, the propaganda Snow force feeds us tries to convince us that we'll be murdered if we surrender. That the Mellarks are hell-bent on gaining power and will kill anyone who stands in their way."

Finnick laughs at that one.

"Wow," he shakes his head in disbelief. "Anyone who spends any amount of time with those two can see just how ridiculous that sounds. Now I won't lie to you. Threaten either of them or especially their children, I'd advise shooting yourself in the temple. They'd both do anything for each other and their kids. And I mean anything."

Cicero nods, taking it in. We'll give him some time to make his decision, during which he'll be in a holding cell guarded around-the-clock. We'll restrict his access to any other prisoners, as we don't want them to influence his choice either way.

When it's apparent they're done talking, Peeta and I leave and head back to see our kids. We spend the next couple hours watching over them as they sleep soundly in their cribs. No words pass between us. None are needed. I just stand there, my back pressed up against Peeta's chest with his arms wrapped tightly around me.

Eventually we fall asleep in a rocking chair, me firmly in his lap. We're woken by knocking at the door a little after six.

It's Haymitch, accompanied by Johanna, Finnick, Annie, Beetee, Quentin, and Manning.

The first thing I do is give Johanna and Finnick huge hugs, as does Peeta. We both commend Manning on another flawlessly carried out mission.

"So what's up?" I finally ask Haymitch.

"Snow's down in interrogation," he explains. "We thought you two would like to get first crack at him."

I look to Peeta and silent words pass between us.

"Let me see if Prim can watch the twins," I reply.

"No need," Annie unceremoniously pushes me aside to get to the nursery. Finnick, grinning, follows.

"Thanks guys," Peeta smiles.

We follow the rest of them through the winding gray halls of 13. We have to use a secured elevator that only the highest echelons of the District, meaning us, has access to in order to reach where we have Snow.

Finally, after ten minutes, we're standing in the observation room adjacent to the interrogation room.

Snow is in a metal seat, shackled securely. He's wearing a bright orange jumpsuit, the only identification on it being his assigned prisoner number. It reinforces the fact that not only is he captured, he's now locked up like the common criminal he is. Okay, maybe not so common.

The only other object in the room is an identical metal chair. It's facing Snow, about ten feet away.

"You're up, Mrs. Mellark," Peeta says as he pulls me close. "Don't try to hurt him too bad."

"Oh I'm not going to hurt him," I grin. "Besides, I think the knowledge that he's inevitably going to be executed has him plenty worried."

I give Peeta a kiss before I go into the hallway and walk next door. I open the door and steel my nerves, plastering my best unemotional mask on my face.

He looks up when he hears the door.

"Good morning prisoner," I simply state. He doesn't have the right to be called a name, any name.

His eyes burn with rage, but I can also see fear in them. Good. It's about time he gets a taste of his own vile medicine.

I ignore his attempts to frighten me as I take a seat and speak calmly.

"So, enjoying your new accommodations?"


	44. Protocol 21

He's obviously trying to intimidate me, but it's just not working.

"You don't want to talk? Fine," I shrug. "If you haven't already noticed, you're in District 13. Your hovercraft is currently blown up into a million tiny shards. Nobody knows you're here."

His expression doesn't change at all, almost like he's not surprised in the least.

"Obviously you have some kind of an idea of what's going to happen. Needless to say, there are quite a few people here who aren't overly fond of you. That's putting it mildly, Snow."

The truth is we don't really need him to say anything. His crimes are well-documented. His guilt is not in doubt. If ever there was a close-and-shut case, this is it.

Finally, after a minute of silence, he looks like he's ready to speak.

"Ms. Everdeen," he speaks slowly, methodically, coldly.

"Mrs. Mellark," I correct. "Or General if you prefer."

"Mrs. Mellark," he gives me a sadistic grin. "Would you be so kind as to tell me the time?"

I roll my eyes as I glance at my watch.

"Nine-thirty-eight," I tell him.

He just smiles, leans back in his chair, and relaxes like he doesn't have a care in the world. I glance at the mirror that I know everyone is watching from and give them a look that says 'what the hell is going on?'.

Just as I'm about to ask him, everything goes haywire.

First, the sound of a large explosion permeates every well, followed almost instantly by a shock so severe I first think it's an earthquake. The floor of the room literally shakes and wobbles.

"Right on time," Snow smirks.

"What the hell did you do?" I yell. "What's going on? Tell me right now!"

"You really think I'd be so eager to capture you that I'd let myself be taken that easily? Tsk tsk, I thought you were smarter than that."

"I'll shoot you myself before letting you out of this place," I tell him firmly.

"You won't get the chance," he shrugs.

The door to the room busts wide open and I instinctually draw my sidearm. When I realize it's just Peeta and General Quentin, I relax a bit.

"What's happening?" I ask.

"We've been breached," Quentin tells me. "They must've tracked Snow somehow. They're infiltrating the top levels."

"Dispatch quick reaction forces immediately," I order. "Seal off the top five levels. Shut off powers to all elevators. Order all citizens to the emergency shelter on Level 15B. Contain them, Quentin. Shoot on sight."

"Ma'am," he salutes and leaves to go to work, leaving Peeta and me with Snow.

"The kids," I almost gasp. "Peeta-"

"I know," he nods. "Finnick and Johanna are on their way now to secure them and our families."

"What about him?" I ask, nodding to Snow.

"Gag and bag him. He's coming with us."

"Peeta, get Manning and his team here now. We can't let him escape under any circumstances."

"I called him the moment everything started," Peeta reveals. "He should be here in abou-"

"Generals," Manning magically appears at Peeta's side in the doorway. "Reporting as ordered."

"Lieutenant, secure Snow and ready him for transport. I want him silenced, blind, and shackled," I explain after I return his salute.

"Right away ma'am."

He and his team have Snow prepared in what seems like mere seconds. They form a tight circle around him while Peeta and I lead our group, Manning covering our rear.

"What are we going to do?" Peeta asks as we slowly make our way through the halls, checking corners as we go.

"First we're getting our kids," I reply immediately. "We'll figure it out from there."

He just nods, both of us on high alert. Manning brought two extra rifles for us, so we're using those, safeties off and bullets in the chamber.

"Peeta where's Haymitch?"

"In the situation room," he answers. "Don't worry, he has about thirty soldiers guarding him."

I nod, but I'm still worried.

We're only minutes away from our quarters, and the closer we get, the more frantic I become.

Only two more turns and we're there.

The last corner comes into view. I'm so eager I turn it without first properly checking it.

I don't see him until it's already too late. He was ready for me.

It's a Capitol soldier, but he doesn't look like any normal one. He's dressed similarly to Manning and his team, so I assume he's some kind of special forces operators. Like our own special forces, they're devoted entirely to their leader. In this case, Snow.

Before I can react, he's already disarmed me of my rifle, spun me around, and put a pistol to my temple. Peeta appears around the corner and snap-aims at the soldier.

"Let her go," he growls. I can't remember ever hearing him so determined, angry. "Right now."

"Shut up," the soldier snaps back. "Give me Snow or else your pretty little wife gets a bullet in the head."

"You really don't want to do that," Peeta counters. "Doing one's duty is one thing, but threatening a man's wife, the mother of his children, that's a whole different ballgame buddy."

"Ten seconds," the soldier gets impatient. "If you don't give me Snow in ten seconds I'm going to kill her, right here, right now."

For some reason, in this terrifying, almost surreal moment, I'm brought back tot the end of our Games, where we were in almost the same exact situation. Peeta was being held hostage by Cato, and I had my weapon pointed at him.

If there's one person in this crazy world that I trust completely, it's my husband. I've seen him shoot countless times. I've gone over his targets thousands of times. I've watched him in action. He doesn't miss. It's just not in him. But this is different. My life is directly on the line. The soldier is smart, not giving Peeta much of a shot.

I hope Peeta notices what I do. Whenever the soldier talks, he moves his head a few inches to the right, giving Peeta the slimmest of margins.

We lock gazes. Peeta's eyes are filled with warring emotions. Love, worry, fear, rage, anxiety, but, above all, determination. I try to tell him what to do with my own eyes, and I pray he gets it.

"Last chance," Peeta warns. "Put down the gun."

"Fuck you and your whore wi-"

One gunshot rings out.

I feel the breeze of it mere inches from my cheek. I hear the telltale impact of bullet to flesh. In a split second, the soldier is lying dead at my feet. I'm almost frozen in shock until Peeta steps up and pulls me into a hug.

"It's over baby. He's dead," he whispers.

"Nice shot," I'm able to whisper back. He chuckles.

"I learned from the best," he replies and kisses the top of my head. "Now let's go get our kids."

It takes us about a minute to convince Johanna, who's on the other side of the door, to let us in. I can't say I'm mad, not in the least. She had to be absolutely sure before she opened the door.

It's tense, to say the least. Even when I have my kids in my arms, I'm still completely on edge. I mean, Snow is standing in the middle of our living room for god's sake.

Peeta gets the armored stroller Beeta made for the twins and we bundle them up. We quickly put together our most valued things, throwing them into bags. Finally we meet back up in the living room.

"Quentin, report," I call through the radio. It crackles to life after a few seconds.

"They're on Level 4," he replies. I can hear gunshots and screams of agony in the background, soldiers on both sides calling for medics.

"Can you hold them back in time for us to evacuate the District?"

"Affirmative, General. We've begun pushing them back the way they came, but they're fighting for every inch."

"Do your best, but don't unnecessarily risk your men's lives," I order. "Once we've evacuated, I want you and your men on the last hovercraft out. Once I know you're aboard I'll initiate self-destruct sequencing."

"Copy."

"Over and out. Good luck, Quentin."

Next I get Haymitch on the radio.

"You guys okay?" He asks. "The twins?"

"Everyone's fine, Haymitch. We need to evacuate the District. Order Protocol 21 and meet us on the flight deck."

"On it," Haymitch replies.

"Okay," I turn to everyone in the room. They're all staring at me, waiting for their marching orders. Even Peeta is waiting for me.

I look into everyone's eyes before I begin speaking again.

"We're leaving," I say simply. "Even if we manage to hold them off, they now know where we are. We can't stay here another minute."

I spring everyone into gear, and in another couple minutes we're headed towards the flight deck. It must look like a pretty motley crew. Peeta and me push the armored stroller. On one shoulder I have my rifle slung. On the other one a full diaper bag. Our families are behind us carrying what they can, most of them also armed. Manning and his team are still escorting Snow.

We encounter sporadic resistance, and we suffer no casualties. Conversely, we kill six more Capitol soldiers and take three into custody.

The last few hundred yards are going to be the toughest.

The quickest way to the flight deck is on Level 4.

I radio Quentin to let him know we're coming. We can't afford any friendly fire.

Since we shut off all the elevators, we're forced to take the stairs. I'm about to take the twins out of their stroller when Peeta just gently pushes me aside and picks it up wholesale. I know how much that stroller weighs, and it's certainly not light. But I don't hear a single peep, grunt, or complaint out of my husband as he hauls it up five flights of stairs seemingly effortlessly.

Finally we reach the door marked '4'. Manning kicks it open and he and one of his men clear the adjacent hallway.

"We need to be quick," I tell everyone. "Keep your heads down, follow the person in front of you, and don't stop for anything. Manning, cover fire."

Manning and his teammate fire sporadic bursts, covering each side of the hallway as we cut across. We can hear the bullets flying from both directions, but thankfully they all seem to be wild, unaimed shots.

Soon we reach the flight deck. I peek inside and am relieved to see it hasn't been breached.

As I open the door, my radio bursts to life.

"General, this is Manning. You'd better hurry. They're coming hard and fast on our rear." He's not joking. Like when I talked to Quentin before, I can hear the chaos through his radio.

"Double time!" I yell as I usher everyone to the closest waiting hovercraft. The pilot sees us coming and I can hear the engines revving up.

When the bulk of Manning's team, still guarding Snow, pass by me, I turn to run to the hovercraft myself. Peeta is already almost aboard, simultaneously running and pushing the stroller that contains our most precious cargo. Haymitch and his entourage appear through another doorway and board as well.

I run up the ramp and almost don't see Peeta run right past me back down to the deck.

"PEETA!" I scream. He doesn't look back or reply.

That's when I see what he sees.

Manning is on the ground, writhing in agony. As Peeta nears him, three Capitol soldiers appear from the way we came. Peeta doesn't slow down a bit as he draws his sidearm and takes all three out in the blink of an eye. He reaches Manning, bends down, picks him up like a sack of flour and tosses him over his shoulder. He turns and runs back towards us.

"RUN!" I yell at the top of my lungs as the door swings open again.

I aim my rifle at the door and fire. I take two soldiers out, but they're already pouring into the large hanger bay.

Peeta's ten feet from the ramp when it happens.

I hear a single shot crack and echo, then the impact in Peeta's leg. A puff of smoke and blood explode out the front of his thigh and he stumbles.

It's clear he's not going to make it on his own power. I'm about to run to him myself when Finnick and Haymitch sprint past me. Haymitch simply ignores his protection detail's orders for him to stop.

Johanna, who has appeared next to me, give them cover fire while they help Peeta and Manning. I can already see both of them are losing a great deal of blood, but I have to block that out for now, until they're safely on board.

Once they reach the ramp, I yell back to the pilot.

"Close the ramp! Get us the fuck out of here!"

My mom and Prim roll two stretchers up and we carefully get Manning and Peeta onto them and rush them to the onboard infirmary.

"It's through-and-through," Prim tells me as she cuts Peeta's cargo pants open to examine the wound.

"Sorry Kat," Peeta weakly apologizes.

"You'd better be sorry," I smile sadly. "We promised each other we wouldn't get shot again."

He just tries to shrug the best he can.

"I couldn't leave him behind," he whispers. "I could never leave anyone behind."

"I know," I nod and gently kiss him. "That's why you're my Peeta."

Manning's prognosis is a little worse. The bullet went through the back of his vest and is lodged inside him. My mom fears he has internal bleeding. She begins to perform emergency surgery. Prim stitches Peeta's wounds up, makes sure he's stable, and goes to assist.

"Katniss?" Haymitch peeks his head in.

"Yeah?" I turn to him.

"Quentin just called. Everyone got on a hovercraft and we're all going to meet up in a few minutes."

"Casualties?" I ask.

"We lost fifteen soldiers," he informs. "But no civilians."

I nod my head in relief.

"We also need to know where we're going," Haymitch adds.

I look to Peeta, who is also looking for an answer to that very question.

In a soft, almost inaudible voice, I tell them.

"Home. We're going home."


	45. Nightlock

We've been back in 12 for a little over a week. It was a little weird at first, considering it was deserted when we got here, but everyone's getting into routines and the swing of things.

The houses in Victor's Village filled up fast. A few of them have as many as three small families all living together. Peeta and I opened our doors, but were told by just about everyone that we deserved to live in our own home with our family. Elsewhere, we have teams hard at work building houses round-the-clock so we can house everyone properly. The first thing we built was a large hall, for dual use as both a mess hall and a meeting place.

Haymitch's house has become the de-facto executive branch. The justice building, which is still standing, now houses Snow in the same basement cell Gale was in after he attacked us.

The first floor of our house has turned into the army's headquarters. A few hours each day, though, Peeta and I shut our doors and spend time with just the four of us. We need it for our sanity.

As soon as we made it here, Beetee and Plutarch created a Propo using Snow. We broadcasted it, as usual, throughout Panem, trying to convince what remains of Snow's army will see that the war is nearing its end, and will agree to stem any further bloodshed.

Peeta's leg wound still hurts him a bit, but he's pretty much fully recovered. Manning, on the other hand, is stable, but is still 'hospitalized', which really means he's in a guest bedroom at my mom and Prim's house. We try to visit him as much as possible, and always videoconference him in when we have military briefings. His advice, as always, is invaluable.

The day after we got home, Peeta and I loaded the twins in their stroller and took a walk all over the District. Haymitch wasn't lying when he told us the town is in ruins. Almost no buildings, save the gaudy justice building, are still standing. When we reached what used to be the bakery, Peeta stopped and silently stared at the ruins. His childhood home, which held both good and bad memories, is reduced to a pile of smoldering ash and jagged planks of burnt wood. Even the sturdy chimneys lay in pieces, the bricks shattered.

I let him digest the scene for a few minutes, holding his hand, until I saw a small smile on his lips.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Look," he used his free hand to point. "It's still standing."

I followed his outstretched hand and saw what he was referring to. It was the tree that I sat under that fateful day when we were kids, the first time Peeta Mellark saved my life.

I quietly thanked him and gave him a thankful kiss on the cheek.

It was then Peeta and I came up with a plan. After we've finished adequately housing everyone and are able to provide basic resources, we're going to rebuild the town. It will help create thousands of jobs, and give both old and new residents of the District a great deal of pride. We're even planning a memorial in the middle of the main square to the soldiers who paid the ultimate price so that we could live in freedom.

Our exodus from 13 to 12 barely interrupted the war effort. We've shifted most of our resources to The Nut, and are planning the final assault on the Capitol, the one we hope will end this once and for all. Quentin is in charge on the front lines and reports to us daily, most of the time at least five times a day.

We're getting reports from spies and sympathetic citizens in the Capitol that are hopeful. Since it's now confirmed we have Snow in custody, it seems a lot of people who were in his inner circles have either surrendered or disappeared, afraid for their own safety. This bodes well for our chances. If we can take the Capitol without a fight, that will go a long way to begin healing the deep wounds that exist in our country.

Even though we're still in the midst of war, I have to admit it's nice being home. The first night, we brought the twins into our bed with us and slept as one big happy family. It was indescribable when I first laid my head back down on my own pillow, under my own sheets, in my own bed, in my own home, with my own family. Even the simple act of sitting with our kids in their nursery makes me and Peeta smile. It's good to be home.

This morning we have various meetings, both at our house and Haymitch's. We've tentatively begun planning what will happen when the war ends, but we're keenly aware we haven't won just yet. After we have lunch, Peeta and I plan on taking the twins to the meadow for some family time. I'm already counting the minutes until then.

"Mmm, morning," Peeta mumbles into my hair, as I'm spooned into him.

"Morning baby," I reply groggily. He kisses the nape of my neck gently, sending a pleasurable shiver down my spine.

"What time is it?"

"Ugh," I mutter, looking at the bedside clock. "It's already seven-thirty. The chiefs-of-staff will be here in a half hour."

"Hooray," he says sarcastically. I laugh with him.

"Come on," I start getting out of bed, tugging him along with me. "I need you to wash my hair."

"Yes ma'am."

"Good boy."

A little while later, we wake the twins and feed and change them. Exactly at eight, our doorbell rings. Peeta trudges down the stairs and I can hear him greeting the various officers, all the while holding Eve in his arms.

A couple minutes later, carrying Josh on my shoulder, I make my own way downstairs. Finding the living room and dining room empty, I wander into the kitchen.

I grin and chuckle quietly at the scene.

The officers are scattered about, sitting both at the kitchen table and the island. They're discussing troop placements in preparation for the push to the Capitol.

The thing that's hilarious is what Peeta's doing. He's obviously fully engaged in the conversation, after all, he is in charge. But, while they debate the merits of where to deploy our special forces, he's hustling around the kitchen, Eve on his shoulder, cooking up a storm.

"If we can covertly insert a few teams into the Capitol, I think it's worth the risk," he answers a question posed at him. "Hey, General Freeman, did you want your eggs scrambled or over easy?"

"Scrambled, sir," Freeman answers, shaking his head at the absurdity of it all. Peeta's literally holding a top-level military briefing in our kitchen, simultaneously cooking and taking care of our daughter. I can't help but stand there in awe, smiling at my husband.

"Do I smell cheese buns, General Mellark?" I announce my presence. All the heads snap to me, and Peeta grins when he sees me.

"Affirmative, General Mellark. They're in the oven, almost done."

"Thanks," I walk over to him and give him a quick peck on the lips, fully aware everyone's watching. They've gotten used to how Peeta and I do things.

"We were just talking about the final assault on the Capitol," Peeta brings me up to speed.

"I heard," I nod. "I agree, if we can get teams in beforehand, it would help greatly."

I set Josh down in his high chair, and take Eve from Peeta to do the same. I wish I had a camera handy. Our twins are in their seats in their usual spots at the table, but instead of their parents sitting next to them, it's Generals and Colonels in uniform. Eve and Josh eye them suspiciously, making Peeta and me laugh.

Helping Peeta cook, we continue the meeting as everyone chows down. It's got to be one of the most bizarre briefings any of them have ever been to, but if it works, why not?

"This all sounds good," I declare as we wrap up. "We're seeing the President later on this morning. We'll get his go-ahead and continue from there. Dismissed."

Our next meeting is with all the Victors. They stream in, predictably getting sidetracked playing with the twins. By the time we're all present, Finnick is on all fours, Josh on his back, while Johanna is playing a game of peek-a-boo with Eve that has both of them, and us, in hysterics.

"So what are we doing about Snow?" Beetee wants to know.

"Well, we can either give him a show-trial, or just summarily execute him," I explain. "It's not like everyone doesn't already know what he's guilty of, but we are trying to change Panem. What do you guys think?"

"Kill him," Johanna answers immediately.

"I agree with Jo," Annie chimes in.

"Me too," Finnick nods.

"Beetee? Wiress?" I look to them as they sit on the couch.

"I'm okay either way," Beetee shrugs. Wiress nods her agreement.

"Peeta?" I turn to my husband, as I'm, as always, sitting in his lap.

He sighs heavily before he speaks.

"He deserves so much worse than anything we can do to him," he begins. We all voice our agreements. "This is different than when we put Coin on trial. Then, we had to prove she was guilty. Now, no proof is needed. All you have to do is go watch the tapes from any of the seventy-five Hunger Games. All you have to do is go talk to Haymitch about how Snow had his entire family and the woman he loved killed for no reason. All you have to do is take one look at that piece of scum. His guilt isn't in doubt, that's for sure. But we can't be seen as committing cold-blooded murder. It has to be political, legal. He has to die knowing he's paying for his sins."

"What if we read all his charges, all his crimes, before we execute him?" I postulate. "In detail, of course."

"I know," Peeta jumps in suddenly. "We need to say the name of every single Tribute from every single Games. He needs to hear the names of all the people who suffered because of him and his government. The people need to know that while this can't bring their loved ones back, but maybe it can help start healing the nation. I know, it's ironic. We're killing someone to bring peace about. I just don't see any way around it."

Everyone's momentarily taken aback by his suggestion. Eventually, we all start nodding our heads as we realize the impact it could have. Even in the career Districts, where they train their children to go to the Games. Those kids still had moms, dads, sisters, brothers, families who mourned their loss in their own way. Grief takes on many forms.

"I guess the next logical question is how we execute him," I go on, "and who is going to be the one to do it."

Before she can even open her mouth, I preempt.

"No," I firmly tell Johanna. "You've carried that burden for us before. Not this time."

"I'll do it."

We all look towards the voice, and find Haymitch leaning on the doorframe.

"Haymitch," Peeta starts. Haymitch cuts him off.

"I'm doing it," he announces. "He took everything from me. He killed everyone I loved. He's tried to kill everyone in this room."

I can't remember the last time I saw Haymitch like this. He's determined, but I can see the rage in his eyes that he's trying to hide.

"Any objections?" I ask the room. It remains silent. "So what method are we going to use?"

"Firing squad is too easy, too quick," Finnick says.

"So is hanging," Johanna adds.

"That doesn't leave us with many options," Peeta sighs. "At least none that are humane."

"Why does he deserve a humane death?" I ask Peeta, a slight edge to my voice. "He'd kill anyone in this room, including our children, and sleep like a baby at night. He has no soul. He can't feel compassion, or remorse, or even love."

"He's still a human being," Peeta quietly counters.

I count to ten in my head, trying to reign in my frustration and anger.

"Why do you always try to protect our enemies?" Johanna almost yells. "You need to grow a set, baker boy."

"Hey!" I jump up out of my husband's lap. "Don't you dare say anything like that ever again to my husband."

Johanna is one of my best friends. She's been there for us countless times. But, even if I may be frustrated with Peeta, I will not tolerate anyone talking about him like that. It doesn't matter who they are.

"Why not?" She snaps. "He didn't have the balls to execute Snow. I did, remember?"

I take a few deep breaths, knowing full well if I let my temper ignite it will only cause more problems. I see Annie in the corner of my eyes quietly taking the twins out of the room. I'm thankful.

"If you say another word about him, you will leave this house immediately," I quietly, but firmly, tell her.

"Kat," Peeta tries to calm me down.

"Not now Peeta," I say without turning to look at him, my gaze still focused on Johanna.

"Mason," Haymitch gently cuts in, "Katniss is right. Nobody can deny your sacrifices in this war. But don't forget who it was that rescued you when the Capitol shot down your hovercraft. He killed to save your life, Johanna. Not to mention the fact that both he and Katniss still outrank you. You're bordering on insubordination."

Johanna huffs, crossing her arms over her chest in mild defiance.

"Snow is the definition of pure evil," Peeta's gentle voice captures everyone's attention. "He's murdered countless people. Used people to gain what he lusted after. I hate him just as much as anyone in this room. He tried to kill my wife and children. He tried to kill my friends, the people sitting in this very room. He sent us all into Arenas for entertainment, forcing us to kill each other. Yes, he's guilty. Yes, he's despicable and a mass murderer. But that doesn't change the fact he's still a human being like us. He bleeds like us, talks like us, breaths like us. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve to die. I'm just saying that we can't afford to lose who we are in the process. Whether we like it or not, the entire country is looking to us, the people sitting in this room, to set the example for what we want Panem to be. We can't stoop to his level. That's letting him win."

After a few moments of silence, which I use to sit back in his lap, Johanna also sits back down before she speaks.

"You're right," she almost whispers. "I'm sorry Peeta, Katniss."

"No apology necessary," Peeta waves her off. "It's emotional for all of us. We've all suffered because of him. I don't want anyone to think that showing him a little compassion is weak."

"It's not weakness," I continue his train of thought. "In fact, it shows that we're nothing like him. It shows that we truly want to build a better country. And that starts by us showing everyone that even the most heinous among us should be treated humanely."

"So what do we do?" Finnick asks everyone.

"We can't let him live," Beetee opines. "As long as he's alive he'll have followers. But we can't make him a martyr either."

"Nightlock," I blurt out. "I mean, that's what started this whole thing, right? When Peeta and I threatened suicide?"

"Poetic," Haymitch grunts.

"What, do we force feed him or something?" Johanna asks.

"No," I shake my head. "I have something else entirely in mind."

"Which is….," Finnick prompts me.

"Haymitch, how are you with a bow?"


	46. Bullhorn

Haymitch snorts derisively.

"When would I ever have learned how to use one of those?" He asks sarcastically.

"I'm not saying you have to walk out of this house and do it right now," I retort.

"I don't know about this," he shrugs. "Kill him with one arrow? Sounds better than being shot or hanged."

"I never said one arrow," I point out. "Trust me, Beetee has made me a myriad of different types of arrowheads. I even have one that will make you shit your pants."

"Wait, really?" Johanna asks.

"No, not really," I roll my eyes. "But I do have paralyzing agents, ones that cause extreme pain without being fatal, explosive ones, and a few others."

As everyone mulls it over, the phone suddenly rings. Since it's right next to the chair Peeta and I are occupying, he snags the receiver.

"Mellark."

"What is it Lieutenant."

"Whoa, slow down and tell me what's happening."

"Right now?"

"Thank you soldier."

From hearing only Peeta's side of the conversation, we're all now very interested in what he has to say.

He hangs up the phone and sighs as he turns to everyone.

"That was Lt. McCormick at the Justice Building. There's an angry mob outside demanding we turn Snow over to them."

We spring into action. I quickly call Prim and she appears within moments to take the twins.

"Go get geared up and meet us on our front lawn ASAP," Peeta yells as everyone jockeys to leave.

Peeta and I run upstairs to our bedroom. He throws open the closet and literally starts tossing items over his shoulder to me. I catch them and put them on the bed, separating them for him and myself.

"Help me with this please Kat," he asks as he sits on the edge of the bed to put his armory leg on.

"Sure baby," I nod as I kneel in front of him. I'm a pro at this now, and I have it snapped on and snuggly fit in seconds.

We strap our thigh holsters on, making sure our pistols are loaded. The last thing we want to do is resort to violence with the civilian population, but we have to be ready for anything. I choose to carry my rifle instead of my bow, but my foldable bow is in Peeta's leg if we need it. Peeta also slings his rifle on his shoulder as we seek out each other's hands and walk outside.

A few minutes later we're at full strength. Everyone's properly armed and protected, all of us wearing bulletproof vests with our tactical vests over them, and we even have ballistic helmets if we need them.

We double-time it out of the Village and towards the Justice Building. The closer we get, the clearer the sounds become. We can hear chanting and yelling and screaming. Thankfully, we don't hear any gunshots.

Turning the last corner, the full extent of what is happening is revealed.

The entire square where, over a year ago, Peeta and I stood in for the Reaping is filled to the brim with people. There are signs that read 'Snow Must Go' and 'We Demand Justice', among other things. They chant in unison, proving how powerful people can be if they're united in a cause.

"Come on," Peeta tugs on my hand and nods to the rest of the group. "Let's double back and enter the Justice Building in the back. Maybe we can get their attention from the front door."

We all nod our agreement and we swiftly move around to the back. There aren't any protesters here, considering the nine foot retaining fence. Not many people even know you can enter the building from the back. The soldier guarding the back door sees us coming and opens it while saluting us.

"Corporal," I call out to the first soldier I see inside.

"Yes, General?"

"Get me a bullhorn."

He scampers off and returns seconds later carrying a bullhorn. I take it from him and salute him back.

"Let's go," I say to the group.

"No," Haymitch shakes his head. "You and Peeta should go out there alone."

"Scared of getting hurt?" I tease.

"Not in the slightest," he shakes his head. "I just think they'll respond better to the two of you. Nobody, and I mean nobody, is more respected, revered, and trusted than you two."

I'm speechless. Before I have time process and come up with something to say, Peeta and I are forcefully shoved right to the front door.

I grasp his hand tight, the bullhorn in my other, as we open the door and step outside.

We're about ten feet higher than everyone, and when they spot us, it suddenly goes deathly quiet. It's almost unbelievable how fast the square becomes silent.

I bring the bullhorn up to speak into it, but when I cue it, nothing comes out of my mouth. I lower it back down to my side.

"Just tell them the truth," Peeta whispers gently. "Make them believe."

His words, as usual, give me comfort and courage. This time, when I bring the bullhorn up, I'm able to speak.

"The first time I ever stood here I had just volunteered to go into the 74th Games in my sister's stead." I pause for a moment, letting them remember and letting me reign in my emotions. "I stood almost in this exact spot, with the same person I stand next to today. At that moment, we both believed that our deaths were imminent. We never expected to have even the slightest chance of ever coming home. But, over a year later, we're here. Both of us."

I pause for another moment, gathering my thoughts.

"What I'm trying to say is that you are absolutely right. Everyone in this country deserves to see justice done to Snow. Everyone deserves to see him pay for his sins, for the horrendous and despicable crimes he committed with remorse. Peeta and I were forced into an Arena where the only way out was to kill everybody else. We watched friends die. We almost took our own lives because if we weren't able to live together, then we were going to die together. Snow caused all of that. Thousands of soldiers, on both sides of this war, have bravely and valiantly given their lives. So, yes, justice must be served. Nobody wants to see Snow pay more than my husband and myself. But this isn't the way."

The crowd murmurs, talking to each other, mulling over what I've just said. I tighten my grip on Peeta's hand and he squeezes back, reinforcing his presence.

After a few moments, he gently takes the bullhorn from me and speaks.

"We have to show the rest of the country that even when we're faced with such pure, undeniable evil, that we're going to be different. If we turn over Snow and let you have at him, we're all stooping to his level. Even Coin got a tribunal, a chance to repent. She decided not to, and paid the ultimate price. Please don't misunderstand what Katniss and I are saying. We're with you. We feel the pain, the losses that are a direct result of the man sitting in a cell in the building behind us. Snow will get what's coming to him. I promise you."

Silence falls over the square again. As Peeta and I scan the crowd, we see a mix of people we know, from residents of 12 that we've known for years to refugees that we met in 13. All of us have been touched, in one way or another, by Snow and the Capitol.

"Just give him up!" A man yells from the crowd. "He deserves to die!"

A chorus of 'yeah!'s and 'he's right!' follow. I sigh.

"NO!" I scream, not even bothering to get the bullhorn from Peeta. The crowd, obviously shocked by my outburst, goes quiet. "We are not doing that, under any circumstances. He needs to face what he's done. He needs to understand that, when he does face the executioner, it's because of all the lives he's taken, the families he's split up, the disgusting actions that he did for years. Believe me when I tell you that I'm going to sleep much easier at night knowing he's no longer a threat to my family and this country. But, like I said, this isn't the way. We're creating a new country from this rubble. We must change, all of us. We must understand that in order for us to be truly free, to shake off the bonds of the Capitol, we have to, no we need to, start over with a fresh, clean slate. We can't begin this new chapter in Panem's history by murdering Snow in cold blood. He will be tried in a court of law, he will receive a fair and just trial, and whatever punishment or sentence he receives will be honored."

"And who's going to preside over this trial? You?"

It only takes me a second to register whose voice said it.

There are gasps in the crowd when they realize exactly what I just did.

Peeta and I slowly turn, and, standing in the doorway between Finnick and Haymitch, in restraints, stands the former President of Panem.

"Snow," I spit.

"Ah, Katniss Everdeen," he smirks.

Before I even have the chance to correct him, Haymitch slyly swipes one of his legs, forcing him to his knees.

"That's Mrs. Mellark to you, asshole," he quietly, but firmly tells Snow. He helps him to his feet roughly.

The crowd finally catches up to what's happening and everyone starts yelling over each other. Peeta quickly radios for a platoon to aid in crowd control, and they appear moments later to prevent anyone from making it to us and trying to kill Snow themselves.

"Why did you bring him out here?" I ask harshly through my teeth.

"You guys might want to sit down for this," Finnick warns, as serious as I've ever seen him.

"Tell us. Now," I demand.

He sighs and nods to Haymitch.

Haymitch steps up to me and Peeta and pulls a device out of his pocket. He turns it on and clicks a few buttons until a black and white video feed appears.

Suddenly, I feel like my heart has dropped out of my body. I start hyperventilating and my legs fail me. Peeta's able to catch me before I fall flat on my face.

On the screen, five men who seem to be armed to the teeth are standing in the living room of my old house in Victor's Village. The house that Prim and my mom live in.

On the couch, in obvious fear, sit my sister and my mother.

With my babies in their arms.

"So you see, my dear Katniss, I now decide whether your children live or die. Let's talk about that trial, shall we?"

All I can see is red. Pure, blinding, all-consuming rage flows through my veins.

In the blink of an eye I've drawn my pistol and have the barrel flush against Snow's forehead.

"Tsk tsk," he cooly scolds. "If I die, so do your precious twins."

_**DUN DUN DUN!**_


	47. Static

So many emotions are racking through my body that I'm having trouble keeping my composure. This can't be happening. This is literally my worst fears coming to fruition.

When we had the twins, Peeta and I knew that we would both do anything in our power to keep them safe. We failed. We were so occupied with the protest that we left them relatively unguarded. Granted, Prim and my mom have babysit countless times, but we're still technically in the middle of a war.

We should've seen this coming. It all seemed way too easy to capture Snow. We should've known he'd go to any length to save his own skin. He's a sociopath, the very definition of pure evil.

Slowly I lower my gun from his forehead, trying to ignore the triumphant smirk on Snow's face.

That's when I realize something.

Peeta's gone.

My husband, who, moments ago, was right by my side is nowhere to be found. I look to Haymitch and Finnick, who both shrug, telling me silently they also are unaware of his current whereabouts.

"What do you want?" I demand, not even attempting to hide my rage.

"What I always have," he answers calmly. Too calmly. "You'll come back with me to the Capitol and help defeat the traitors."

I almost laugh at the sheer absurdity of it, but keep a straight face.

"Even if I did, nobody would believe it. The whole country knows which side of this fight we're on."

"Trust me my dear, don't you worry about that. We have our ways."

I shudder at the thought.

"Why don't we go back inside where it's quieter and discuss the terms of your surrender?"

"Fine," I spit. "Haymitch, please get the crowd to disperse. Finnick, you're with me."

"I'll do my best," Haymitch nods somberly as Finnick and I lead Snow back through the doors of the Justice Building.

We go into the first empty office. A couple moments later, Finnick turns a monitor on a desk so we can see and uses Snow's device to stream the live feed onto it.

I can see their faces. Prim. My mom. My babies. Prim and my mom are doing their best to hold up, but I can clearly see their utter distress and fear. My heart is tearing into pieces watching my family in danger and not being able to do a thing about it.

"You set this all up," I mutter without looking at Snow.

"Precisely," I can hear his sadistic grin. "The protest outside was the diversion."

I mentally scold myself for being so careless. We. Should. Have. Known.

"I'm going to kill you," I promise with steel and venom in my voice.

He just laughs maniacally.

"You're in no position to make threats Mrs. Mellark."

When I hear my lsat name my thoughts go right to Peeta. Where the hell is he? If he gets himself killed I'm going to bring him back just to kill him myself.

"Maybe we should listen in on their conversation," Snow nods to the monitor. Finnick turns the volume up.

_"Please," _my mom pleads, _"do whatever you want with me. Just leave my daughter and grandchildren alone. Please don't hurt them." _

The soldiers just laugh at her.

_"Look," _Prim speaks up, _"I don't know who you are or what you want with us. But if I were you, I'd start running right now." _

_"Why's that little girl?" _One of the soldiers asks mockingly.

_"Because you don't want to be here when my brother-in-law finds out what's going on. Don't even get me started on my sister. You're threatening their family. Their children. Those two would gladly lay down their lives without a second thought for them." _

Prim's defiance makes me proud. I just hope she's not antagonizing them and risking everyone's safety.

_"I wouldn't be so sure about either of them showing up," _the same soldier sarcastically replies. _"In fact I'm pretty sure you're never going to see them again." _

This is going even more downhill, fast.

"Fine," I mumble, almost to my breaking point. "I'll do whatever you want Snow."

"I knew you'd see it my way," he smiles triumphantly. "Now all we need is your husband, then we can all leave together on a nice comfy ride back to the Capitol where you belong. By the way, where is Mr. Mellark?"

"I have no idea," I truthfully answer. "But if he's doing what I think he's doing, you're the one whose going to need to negotiate."

Just then, we hear a knock on the door in the video. One of the heavily armed soldiers walks over to answer it. Finnick taps a key and the view switches to the foyer.

The soldier slowly opens the door wide and is immediately met by the barrel of a suppressed handgun between his eyes.

_"Don't you make a fucking sound."_

Peeta.

I knew it.

Half of me is so incredibly proud of him. Without even thinking about it, he went to go get our family. The other half is furious he left me here to go risk his life. But after a few seconds I know why. My little confrontation with Snow outside was the perfect distraction for him to slip away and end this entire thing.

I watch the feed intently. Keeping the barrel flush against the soldier's face, Peeta silently moves inside and shuts the door ever so quietly.

He checks his watch and seems to be counting. He looks like he's waiting for something.

Twenty agonizing seconds pass and nothing happens.

Then all hell breaks loose.

The back door through the kitchen is breached with an explosive charge, rattling the whole house. The soldiers guarding my family in the den quickly go to investigate.

The first one enters the kitchen through the main hallway.

The second his head pops into the kitchen, it explodes like a grapefruit.

The other soldiers see this and immediately take cover.

Peeta, meanwhile, apparently having gotten the 'sign', pistol whips the soldier in the face hard. He slumps down onto the floor, obviously unconscious.

Peeta moves quickly but deliberately through the foyer and into the den.

_"Shh," _I see him tell Prim and my mom to be quiet. _"Quickly, follow me." _

There's no time for emotional reunions, and everyone knows it. Prim and my mom instantly jump up, ready to follow Peeta. He runs quickly back to the door then back to them.

_"Put them in here and put these on. Quickly." _

He went home first, apparently, and got the armored stroller. Genius. He also brought two bulletproof vests for Prim and my mom.

Peeta's helping Prim adjust hers, trying to get out as quickly as possible, when she whispers in his ear.

_"Behind you."_

In the blink of an eye, Peeta whirls around while simultaneously shoving Prim out of the line of fire. I notice he's automatically put himself between the enemy and our children.

Even though I've seen him do it countless times, and was the one who mainly trained him, I'm still in awe at how quickly he can snap-aim with deadly precision.

The intruder falls backwards, dead, and slides down the wall, a bullet hole in his forehead, compliments of my husband.

Meanwhile, the remainder of Snow's henchmen are effectively pinned. They're in a heated firefight with who I know recognize to be Manning's special ops team.

I gasp when one pulls the pin on a grenade. He leans out from his cover to toss it. Instead, he gets shot by one of Manning's men. The grenade falls out of his hands, live, and rolls down the hallway.

My mom is already outside on the porch with the twins in their stroller, getting herded away by more of the special ops teams. Prim is about ten feet from the door, Peeta right behind her.

_"GRENADE!"_ Someone screams.

Peeta instantly reacts. He literally tackles Prim from behind and shields her body with his own.

Then, to my horror, the feed goes dead, showing only static.

I'm already halfway out the door when I yell at Finnick over my shoulder.

"If he moves, kill him!"

I burst out the front door and back to where we just were. Haymitch is there, and he seems to have had some success in clearing the square. I see some uniformed troops taking people into custody. They must have been plants, sent by Snow to rile up the population. I can't worry about that, though.

I don't even say a word to Haymitch as I sprint by him and jump down to the square, bypassing the stairs entirely.

"Out of my way!" I yell as I run through the crowd. "Get the fuck out of my right now!"

Soon a path parts in front of me as people realize I'm frantically running towards Victor's Village.

I can't ever remember running this fast in my life. This is even worse than when the Careers chased me in the Arena. I'm trying to block out my emotions for right now, knowing I need to keep a level-head for the time being.

Turning the last corner, the chaos comes into view.

It looks like a tornado hit the front of my old house. Thick, black smoke rises slowly from where I know the foyer is.

As I get closer, I see my mom being treated by a medic. Two more strides and I catch sight of my children, safe and sound, in their stroller, alive. That lifts part of the weight on my heart.

I slow down a bit as I come to them. Stopping only for a split-second, I bend down and kiss both my kids.

"Mommy loves you. I'm going to get your daddy and your auntie right now. Thanks mom."

With that, I'm off again.

I'm fifty feet away. What if I'm too late.

Forty feet. Will I really be able to handle seeing Prim or Peeta dead?

Thirty feet. I see some troops hauling body bags. I fight to not hyperventilate.

Twenty feet. The front of the house is almost unrecognizable. My brain tells me nobody could have survived an explosion in such a confined space as the hallway.

Ten feet. A soldier tries to stop me but I elbow him and keep going.

The stairs are history so I jump up to what remains of the front deck.

I stop for a moment and collect myself, preparing for the worst but hoping for the best.

I close my eyes for a split-second and remember the past year of my life. Peeta. Our kids. The war, the rebellion, Panem, the Games, none of it matters. What matter is family, and right now, I'm not sure how much of mine is left.

I take the first step inside the house. I can smell a myriad of sickening odors, the most prevalent being burned human flesh.

"I need charging paddles STAT!"

I'd know that voice anywhere. It's Prim's.

I walk towards where she is, and fall to my knees when I register the scene.

Prim is kneeling next to Peeta. He's on his back, eyes shut.

His chest isn't moving. He's completely still.

"RIGHT NOW!" Prim screams. She hasn't noticed me yet, she's too focused on Peeta. Thank god.

A soldier appears and drops a large medical kit next to Prim, telling her a medic is on the way to help. She doesn't waste a second, pulling the paddles out of the bag. She turns to Peeta and tries to take his vest off, not succeeding. She starts searching frantically in the bag.

"Knife," she mutters, "I need a knife."

"Here," I'm barely able to say, holding out my knife, handle first. Prim registers that it's me and we both almost lose it right there. Somehow she pulls it together and quickly sheds Peeta of his vest and shirt.

Attaching the leads, she speaks to me quietly.

"You don't want to be here for this Katniss. Trust me."

"I'm not going anywhere," I reply, mostly to Peeta.

She nods and readies herself.

"CLEAR!"

She shocks him, and his entire torso rises up off the floor and thumps back down. I can hear the heart monitor attached to the paddles, and it's still giving us a flat line. Despair starts to set in. I try to push it down.

"Charging to 250. CLEAR!"

She shocks him again. Same result.

I crawl on all fours until I'm hovering over his face. Looking down at him, he doesn't look like he's in pain or agony. Rather, he looks fairly peaceful, and it reminds me of when I see him asleep.

"Please baby," I whisper fiercely, finally letting the tears fall freely. "Please come back to me. I need you. The kids need you. We all need you. Please, Peeta, wake up."

Prim warns me to not touch him as she readies another charge. From the look on her face, I know she thinks that he's not coming back, that my husband is dead, that he sacrificed his life to save hers.

"DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE ME!" I scream at the top of my lungs. "YOU PROMISED! YOU PROMISED WE'D GROW OLD TOGETHER!"

Prim shocks him one last time.

It doesn't work.

All I hear is the flat, monotone, continuous noise that alerts me his heart no longer beats.

"Damn you Peeta Mellark!" I yell.

"Katniss," Prim gently tries to pull me away from Peeta. "Katniss he's gone."

"NO! NO! PEETA! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU!"

I feel two arms pulling me away from him and I scream and fight and kick. It's Haymitch, and he's trying his best to remove me.

After a few seconds my body and heart give out and I just go slump.

All I can think is that Peeta's dead. The twins are going to grow up without their father. I'm going to live without my husband, without my Peeta.

It feels like a dream as I register myself unholstering my pistol. It's when I feel the cold metal of the barrel against my forehead that I realize I'm about to take my own life to be with Peeta. I always told him if he died, I'd be right behind him.

But I can't pull the trigger. Eve and Josh flood my mind. They need their mother now, more than ever.

Then, time screeches to a halt.

My ears hear a single, lonely, short tone from the heart monitor.

Prim rushes to check Peeta, laying her ear on his chest to listen.


	48. Shrapnel

My heart stops as Prim checks Peeta's chest.

Seconds pass by, but it feels like years.

Finally, I hear her sigh. I can't tell if it's a good sigh or a bad sigh.

She looks up at me and we lock gazes.

Tears spill over onto her cheeks, and I feel like my world is ending.

That is, until the heart monitor beeps again.

And again.

And again.

Chancing a look at Peeta's chest, I wait in sheer terror until I see it ever so slightly rise and fall.

"Peeta?" I call out tentatively, once again crawling towards him across the burnt floor.

"He's unconscious," Prim gently puts her hand on my arm. "But Katniss, he's alive."

Peeta's alive.

My husband is alive.

The father of my children is alive.

The giant weight lifts off my chest. Just knowing he hasn't left me repairs my wounds. But I'm also keenly aware he's not out of the woods yet. Not by a long shot.

"What's - ", I stumble over my words, "what's wrong with him?"

"He took a fair amount of shrapnel to the back. It cut through his vest."

"Is he going to be okay?"

"Katniss," Prim softly says and waits until I look at her before continuing. "He's the strongest person I know. Besides you."

I nod my agreement, not even attempting to stem the flow of tears and the sobs that overtake me.

"Oh Peeta," I cry out, taking his hand in mine while Prim continues to tend to him.

"Let's get him home," she suggests. "He'll be more comfortable in your bed."

A few minutes later he's on a stretcher. Soldiers were falling all over themselves to be one of the people to carry him down the street to our house. I'm overwhelmed at the obvious respect he garners from the troops. I'm still gently holding his hand, refusing to part any contact with him.

Once we're in our bedroom, Prim, who's been joined by my mom and two medics, begin working on him in earnest.

"Katniss," my mom wraps an arm around my waist, "you should go see your kids. We're going to need some time in here."

The last thing I want to do is leave Peeta. But she's right. When Gale attacked us and beat Peeta, I couldn't bear to watch them tend his wounds. I remember Haymitch had to carry me out of the room.

"Okay," I finally concede with a whisper.

I walk over to the side of our bed and lean down, hovering over his face. They've got him on his side while they begin to remove the shrapnel from his back.

"Peeta," I whisper, doing everything in my power to not completely break down, "I'm going to let them get you better. I'll be right down the hall with Josh and Eve. I love you so much. Come back to us, baby."

I kiss his cheek and smile sadly. I'm over the moon that he's alive, but seeing him in any pain is the worst feeling in the world.

I find the twins in their nursery, Annie and Johanna fawning over them.

"How is he?" Johanna asks as soon as she sees me in the doorway.

"He's alive," I breathe out. They both look immensely relieved. "He's pretty banged up, but he's alive."

"Come here," Annie gently coaxes. "They miss you."

A minute later, I'm in a rocking chair, both of my children snuggled tightly against my body. Thankfully, they're both fast asleep, giving me a few quiet moments.

"He didn't even hesitate," I remark to nobody in particular.

Johanna and Annie are still with me, sitting on the floor.

"What?" Annie asks for clarification.

"Peeta," I explain quietly. "When someone yelled 'grenade!' he didn't hesitate for a second. He threw Prim to the floor and covered her with his body."

"Did you really expect anything different?" Johanna scoffs. "This is cinnamon buns we're talking about. I may give you and him crap a lot, but he's the most selfless person I've ever met."

"Sometimes I hate that about him," I nod.

"Katniss," Annie interrupts. "He would do anything for your family. He considers Prim his own sister."

"I just wish that trait didn't continually cause him to end up like he is now," I rue. "I need him. We need him," I say as I gaze at my babies.

"Oh shut up," Johanna waves me off. I look at her incredulously. "That boy has gone to hell and back to be with you. He gave you bread knowing he was going to catch a beating. He repeatedly tried to sacrifice himself in the arena for you, and almost succeeded. He willingly let Gale attack him just so you could be safe. He got shot when you were rescuing us, and, just like today, didn't even have to think about it before he acted. Do you really think something like this is going to stop him?"

"She has a point," Annie smiles.

"I guess," I shrug helplessly. We all chuckle lowly, mindful of the sleeping twins.

I guess I fell asleep, because the next thing I know Prim is gently shaking me awake.

"Katniss."

"What is it Prim?"

"You can go in your bedroom now, if you want."

I nod, still waking up. The twins are still in my arms, and they're still asleep. I kiss the crowns of their heads before standing up. Prim takes Eve from my arms and we put them in their cribs, tucking them in.

"I'll watch them," she volunteers. "Mom's still in there."

"Thanks little duck."

"Oh, and Katniss?" She says as I walk to the door. I turn my head. "Tell my brother thank you for saving my life. Tell him how much I love him."

"I will."

My mom meets me at the door to our bedroom.

"How is he Mom?" I ask almost frantically.

"He's much better," she soothes. "We got all the shrapnel out. He had some internal bleeding but we found it and stopped it. A couple of his wounds required stitches. He should be okay in a few days barring any complications."

Now that the technical aspect is over, she envelops me in a tight hug.

"I can't imagine what you felt today," she whispers. "He saved us, Katniss. I've never been more proud to call him my son-in-law."

"Thank you for helping him mom. I don't know what I'd do without him."

"Well then, I guess it's a good thing you married him," she lightly jokes.

"Is he awake?"

"Not yet," she shakes her head. "Like I said when the incident with Gale happened, yours should be the first face he sees when he wakes."

She gives me a light kiss and leaves me alone at the door, going into the nursery to watch the twins with Prim.

I steel my nerves and walk in to our bedroom.

He's still on his side, and I can clearly make out at least a dozen bandages on his back, where they had to dig metal out of his skin. I gasp at the sight of it. I can't stand to see him hurt in any way, least of all like this.

Once again, they've left a chair at the bedside, closest to him. I take a seat and find his left hand, capturing it between my own two hands.

I finally let myself completely go, not holding any emotions in any longer.

I can't remember the last time I cried this hard.

I cry for my injured husband.

I cry because I'm so, so happy he's alive.

I cry because I came so close to losing him.

I cry for our children, even if they don't know yet what their father did for them.

I cry until I run out of tears.

Once again, I must've fallen asleep. Cracking my eyes open, it takes me a moment to realize where I am. I'm in our bedroom, sitting in a chair next to the bed. My head is resting on Peeta's hand which I have in a death grip with my own.

Slowly, I raise my head up, my eyes adjusting to light.

That's when I see the azure of his eyes staring back at me, a tiny smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Welcome back Mrs. Mellark," he whispers.

"Peeta!"

He winces a little at how loud I am. My eyes widen in guilt.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry baby," I apologize profusely, kissing his hand repeatedly.

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" He half-teases after a moment.

"Damn right you are," I confirm, but I'm smiling. "Not only did you run off without me, I thought you were dead, Peeta. I watched Prim shock you to try to restart your heart."

"I'm sorry," it's his turn to feel guilty. But I can't bear to see him feel that, even for a moment.

"I never want to hear that word again," I defiantly tell him. "What you did, while it scared me, was so incredibly brave. You - you - oh I love you so much."

"That's what brought me back."

"Huh?" I'm confused now.

"I don't really know how to explain it. I heard you. It was dark and I was in pain then I heard your voice. You told me you love me and that you need me. The next thing I knew, I woke up and you were right here, by my side."

"I - I -," I struggle whether or not to tell him what I did when I thought he was dead. I realize I have to. "When we thought you were really gone I put my pistol to my head." His eyes widen in shock. "I just wanted to be with you. Even if it was in death, I couldn't bear not being with you."

"Katniss," he says with empathy.

"I couldn't do it," I go on. "As much as I wanted to, I couldn't."

"Why not?"

"The kids," I admit. "I couldn't leave them. I know they'd grow up in a happy home surrounded by love even if we were both dead. But I'm selfish. I want to watch them grow up."

"I feel the same way," he confirms. "You don't have to feel guilty or ashamed about what you did Katniss. I remember when you got shot at our vow renewal, even though it wasn't that serious, I felt like everything was crashing down around me. I couldn't even fathom living a minute without you."

We stop talking and rest in comfortable silence, just relishing the fact that we're together and alive. After a while, I get the twins and let them see their father. The way their eyes light up fills my heart with joy.

After I put them back to bed, I rejoin Peeta. He manages somehow to move back a few inches on the bed, giving me enough space to lay on my side and face him.

"Did any of our soldiers die?" He asks nervously.

"No," I smile sadly. "Only one of Snow's is alive. The one you knocked unconscious. Prim tells me he's burned pretty badly, but he's alive."

"What about Snow?"

"He's back in his cell," I explain. "The protests were a set-up. He had people in the crowd inciting it."

"Prim?"

I can tell from his tone that he's absolutely terrified. I remind myself that he didn't wake up until we're alone, and I only mentioned her briefly a couple times.

"She's perfectly fine, thanks to you," I smile and cradle his cheek with my hand. He kisses my palm. "She wanted me to say thank you and that she loves you."

"I know I put myself right into danger, but I just couldn't bear if anything happened to our family," he explains. It's obvious he's still reticent about my reaction to the whole thing.

"I know," I whisper. "I know why you did it. I've never, ever, ever been more proud to be your wife. Me, Josh, and Eve are so incredibly lucky to have you."

The hours roll by and we don't even notice. We talk. We lay in silence. He eventually gets me to kiss him, but I refuse to go any further, scared of hurting him any more than he already is.

Peeta falls asleep, thankfully. The more rest he gets the sooner he'll be back on his feet. I'm sure the painkillers he took helped too, and I'm content for the time being just watching him.

I hear the door creak open slowly. From the shadow it splays across the bed, I know it's Haymitch.

He sits in the chair I was in before, and I turn to look at him.

"How's our boy doing?" He asks in a low voice, trying not to wake Peeta.

"He's going to be okay," I report happily. "Have you ever seen anyone braver?"

"Sure I have," he shrugs. I look at him with a questioning glance. "You, sweetheart."

"I'm not brave," I protest.

Even in the dim light I can see him roll his eyes.

"I'm not getting into this with you right now. Just accept it," he grins.

"Do you think Snow is going to try anything else?" I ask.

"Maybe," he honestly answers. "But from the look on his face after Peeta saved the day, I'd venture a guess that he's played his cards and lost."

"What do you mean?"

"When word got back to us that Peeta rescued everyone, Snow looked downright petrified. When I told him that he'd better get ready for when you came back, he almost demanded we take him to his cell."

I try to stifle my laugh at Snow being afraid of me.

Well, actually, he should be.

"Oh no," Haymitch puts his hands up. "I know that look."

"Stay with him," I order as I stand up after giving Peeta a chaste kiss on the lips. He moans lowly in his sleep, causing me to grin again.

"It's two in the morning Katniss," he points out. "Go in the morning, after you've gotten some rest."

"I'm going right now," I tell him defiantly.

"Don't kill him. I hate to say it, but that's an order, General."

"Fine," I huff, pulling my leather jacket on. "He'll wish he was dead when I get through with that bastard."

As I leave the room, I hear Haymitch mutter under his breath.

"I guess we'll find out if the glass in those cells is really bulletproof."


	49. Victoria

I almost fall down the stairs I'm moving so fast. When I do make it to the first floor, I realize our house is pretty full. Our friends and family are milling around, obviously worried about Peeta. While I'm incredibly grateful, I have somewhere I need to be.

From the look on my face alone, Annie knows.

"Fin," she tugs on her husband's hand. "Let's go spend some time with our niece and nephew."

"Thanks," I call over my shoulder.

Bounding off our front porch, I discover our lawn is also occupied. There must be fifty soldiers here, and, glancing around quickly, I realize they have ringed the entire house with a perimeter.

"What's going on?" I ask the first soldier I come to, a private. "We didn't order a protection detail."

"You didn't have to, General Mellark," he answers. "We're here because we want to be."

"Please give my thanks to everyone, I have to go."

"Yes ma'am."

I literally run through town, hoping that everyone who is calling out to me understands why I can't stop and talk. It seems like everything is at a standstill in the District.

I purposely avoid even glancing at my mom and Prim's house. The memory is still so fresh, so raw. I doubt I'll be able to go in there for a long time without breaking down at the sight of where I thought I'd lost Peeta for good.

Finally the Justice Building comes into view. The square is eerily quiet and void of anyone.

I almost break down the front door barging through it.

I quickly find the door to the basement and descend the stairs, remembering briefly when I made this same trek to see Gale when he was imprisoned here.

Arriving at the door to the cell block, I'm greeted by two soldiers.

"General," they salute. I return it. "President Abernathy has asked us to relieve you of your sidearm, ma'am."

Haymitch. Apparently he doesn't trust me not to kill Snow. I really can't blame him.

Sighing, I unholster my pistol. I eject the magazine and rack the chamber, catching the bullet that was in it expertly. I hand it over to one of the soldiers.

"I'm afraid I'm going to need your knife as well, ma'am."

Unsheathing it, I hand it to him handle first, just like I handed it to Prim so she could cut Peeta's vest off.

They open the door for me and I step through, only to find Johanna waiting for me.

"Jo?" I question. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought you could use a friend," she mumbles, almost embarrassed.

"Thank you."

She nods and leads me through the halls. I soon find myself on the other side of a one-way mirror in an observation room. It's just me and Johanna. Snow sits in the cell before us. He's sitting in a chair, shackled securely, seemingly emotionless.

"I want to kill him," I mutter.

"I know," Johanna, unlike herself, places a gentle hand on my shoulder. I'm happy she's here with me. "I can't imagine what you're going through Katniss."

I smile sadly at the fact she actually called me by my name. I've gotten used to her nicknames, especially considering she's one of my very best friends.

"I thought I lost him," I whisper, the pain evident in my voice.

"You didn't," she reminds me. "I'm convinced there's nothing on this earth that can take that boy away from you and your kids."

"What do I even say to him?" I ask, motioning to Snow. "I just want to go in there and beat him within an inch of his life."

"Nobody would blame you if you did. In fact, I think most everyone would support it."

I sigh and run a hand through my hair. I must look like a mess after the day I've had.

After a few moments of silence, I decide to get it over with.

"I'll be right here the whole time," Johanna tells me as I walk to the door.

"Thanks Jo."

Taking a deep breath, I steel my nerves as I open the door to his cell.

There's a single seat a few feet in front of him. Without looking at him, I walk over to it and sit down. Raising my eyes up, I see that his gaze is focused on his hands, securely shackled across his lap.

"I suspect you know by now what happened," I begin. "Your plan failed."

He gives me no response, not even an acknowledgment that he's no longer alone in the cell.

"You fucking disgust me," I spit, my anger rising. I wait a few seconds to calm down a bit. "You directly threatened the lives of four innocent people, two of whom are my babies. The _only _reason you're not dead right now is because I want you to face Panem. I want every person in this country, on both sides, to see what a despicable, evil person you are."

"You're no innocent soul either Katniss."

He whispers it, and I can tell he's not his usual, overconfident, diabolical self. He sounds, well, defeated.

"You don't think I know that? I've killed, yes. I've ordered deaths, yes. But what I've never done is kill for sport. I've never ripped children from their families and forced them to fight for their lives so my pathetic friends can have something fun to watch while they dye their hair. I've never ordered anyone to kill _infants_."

Truthfully, out of all the evil things he's done, that one makes me almost uncontrollably livid, full of blinding rage. He wanted to make me choose between my life and my children's.

"Do you even care about all the lives you've destroyed? Of course not. You'd need a heart to feel empathy. I forgot you have a black hole where it's supposed to be."

"Is this why you came? To lecture me on morals?"

"No," I shake my head. "I came here to tell you something."

"What's that my dear?"

"You remember my good friend Beetee?" He nods. "He found something interesting the other day."

"What would that be?" He's actually starting to act a little more smug.

"Something you've hidden from everyone, tried to keep a secret. But I know."

He's silent, waiting for my reveal.

"Victoria."

One word. It takes one word to cause fear to creep into his gaze. He looks absolutely stunned.

"You heard me right, Snow. I know about Victoria. Your grand-daughter. I must say, she is quite beautiful."

Beetee had come to us with this a few days ago. One of our advanced recon teams was able to bypass the encryption on the Capitol's network, giving him access to a whole slew of confidential information. Apparently Snow had an affair with a married Capitol woman many years ago. His daughter, who passed a few years back, had a daughter, named Victoria. She lives in a posh penthouse on the top floor of a building in the Capitol, far removed from the Games or the war. Truthfully, she's innocent. I doubt she even knows Snow is her grandfather. But we can't pass up any opportunity to gain leverage on Snow.

"She's innocent," he states defiantly.

I scoff loudly.

"So was Rue," I spit. "So was Foxface. So was Maysilee. You remember her, right? Haymitch's girl? Did you think twice before you murdered her? Why should we spare your grand-daughter when you've taken the lives of countless people's children and grandchildren?"

"You wouldn't," he shakes his head. "You wouldn't kill her."

"I don't want to have to." At least that's honest. "But we will if you force us to."

"She's safe," he says, trying to assure himself more than anything. "She's in the Capitol."

"5600 Triangle Square. 50th Floor Penthouse. Goes shopping with her friends every morning. Always home by six in the evening. Likes to sit on the deck and read at night."

He looks stunned. I watch the realization hit him, his expression and gaze altering. It's the first time I've ever seen a human reaction from him.

"My best sniper team is two building away," I continue. "We've had her under 24 hour surveillance for days. One word from me, Haymitch, or my husband, and she becomes another tragic casualty of the war."

I've actually rendered the silver-tongued Snow speechless.

"But that doesn't have to happen Snow," I tell him seriously.

"What do you want?" He sighs, obviously knowing I have the winning hand at this point.

"Well that's actually quite simple, Snow."

He looks at me with anticipation.

"I want you to go on television and end the war. I want you to tell your troops to surrender. I want peace."

He nods, too ashamed to even utter words of acceptance.

I get up to leave, and he watches me closely.

I walk up to him and he looks up to me, a vacant look in his eyes.

I punch him as hard as I can right in the face. His nose starts spurting blood and he moans in pain.

"That's for threatening to kill my mom and sister."

I lean back a little and kick his right knee with as much force as possible.

"That's for almost killing my husband."

I repeat the kick, this time on his left knee.

"That's for threatening to kill my children."

I wait until I have his full attention again.

This time, I kick him as hard as I can square in the chest. He goes tumbling backwards, taking the metal chair he's shackled to with him.

I squat down next to him before I speak.

"That's for every innocent life you've taken. That's for all the families you've destroyed."

"Please," he actually sounds like he's begging. "Don't hurt her."

"If you hold up your end of the deal, Victoria will be just fine," I assure him.

I stand back up, looking down at the pitiful heap that used to be the most feared man in all of Panem. I've turned him into a blubbering, bleeding, pitiful excuse of a man.

"But be assured of this, Snow. You're never leaving this building alive. The only way you get out of here is in a body bag. That, I _guarantee_."

I don't look back as I exit the room.

Johanna's waiting for me, an almost goofy smile on her face.

"That was amazing," she says with reverence.

"Jo, I need a favor." She nods. "Get a medic to give him basic first aid. I need to go be with Peeta."

"Of course," she nods. "I'll be by the house later, okay?"

"Great. See you soon."

I'm almost stunned when she pulls me into a hug. Her strong arms grip me tight and I find comfort in my friend.

"Go see that cute husband of yours. I'll deal with this piece of shit."

I'm so amped up from my confrontation with Snow that I have tunnel vision as I make my way home. I give people short, polite greetings, but don't stop. I want, I need, to be with my family.

I stop in the nursery and find the twins asleep. Finnick and Annie are watching over them closely. I kiss my babies and thank the O'Dairs.

Haymitch is still by Peeta's side. I smile when I notice Peeta's awake, and the smile that takes over his face when he sees me almost causes me to faint.

I sit down carefully on the bed, reaching over and running my fingers through my husband's hair slowly.

"How'd it go, sweetheart?" Haymitch asks from the chair he's occupying.

Staring into Peeta's eyes, I grin as I answer.

"I think I might have just ended the war."


	50. Time To Go Home

I was right.

The day after I confronted Snow, we put him on air. We filmed it in his cell, making sure everyone could see that he's shackled, wearing a prison jumpsuit, and thoroughly defeated.

He read from a carefully prepared script that me, Peeta, Haymitch, Plutarch, and Beetee spent a while crafting.

He admitted the war was lost. He 'formally' surrendered both himself and his army, symbolically signing a doctored up piece of paper. He ordered his troops to stand down, disarm, and give themselves up to us. He ordered the Capitol's defenses to be lowered, allowing us to drive right in instead of fighting our way through the streets. Quentin and his men arrested the entire high leadership, making sure the entire thing was broadcasted. We don't want anyone doubting that the war is, in fact, over.

The part that Peeta and I had the biggest hand in was his words about the Games. He told how he always knew they were evil, but he thought them necessary to control the Districts.

Then came the part we knew would be hard for a lot of people.

We forced him, on air, to read the names of every single Tribute that he sent into the Games that didn't make it back out. Even the Careers. I remember how Cato was in those fateful moments before I shot him. He had realized he was always meant to die, that he never really had a chance. It's not their fault they were born in Districts where training Tributes was almost fanatical.

It took him a while to read the list, and by the end of it, he's obviously spent. I'd even venture to say he showed a bit of emotion, but I know just as well as the next person that he's evil to his core.

Then, just like that, it was over.

As soon as we got home from the broadcast, reports came streaming in from every District. The Capitol army was following their orders and peacefully surrendering. We had decided beforehand that we would detain each and every one of them before we make a decision about what to do with them. We know there are going to be trials - a lot of them. Especially with the despicable people in Snow's inner circle.

Quentin videoconferences in from the Capitol to give us updates, and tells us the citizens, for the most part, have holed themselves up in their homes. They're terrified of what's going to happen to them now that the leader of the country is from 12, not the Capitol.

That's another thing.

Haymitch is now President of all of Panem. Every District. The Capitol. Every single citizen of this country is now under the rule of Haymitch Abernathy. He takes it in stride, and Peeta and I again marvel at how much he's changed in the past year. It's like he was born to do this.

His first address to the country is short and sweet. He announces that the war is over and promises that we will rebuild the country together. He stresses that there are to be no reprisals against anyone, on either side. Now is a time for healing, he says, and forgiveness.

Pretty soon after Snow's broadcast, what seemed like the entire current population of 12 gathered outside our house. Spilling across the street and into the large grassy quad, the seemingly thousands of people cheered, chanted 'Mellark!' and 'Abernathy!', sang songs, and rejoiced. It was quite a scene. We had to call in a platoon to cordon off our house. We were afraid if we didn't, people would literally fall over themselves trying to see us.

When we did finally come out onto the porch, I swear the noise was louder than the Tribute Parade before the 74th Games. Peeta, Haymitch and I stood there, witnessing first hand what we helped accomplish. I don't think any of us consciously did it, but we soon linked hands and raised them up, just like Peeta and I did when we got back from the Games. The cheering got even louder, and I was glad we left the twins in the nursery. It might've burst their eardrums.

Someone handed Peeta a bullhorn, probably the same one we used outside the Justice Building when the mob was there.

When the crowd saw he wanted to speak, it took but a split second for silence to engulf the entire Village.

"Thank you all for your kind reception," he began. "We've just learned that all across every District and the Capitol, Snow's army is surrendering." That brings a loud, approving roar. He waits until they quiet down again. "I'd like for all of us present here today to take a moment and remember the brave souls who gave their lives so that we might see a day like today. Please join us in a moment of silence."

Everyone bowed their heads, including us. I sought out Peeta's hand and he intertwined our fingers, both of us squeezing as hard as we can for emotional support.

After a minute or so, Peeta brought the bullhorn back up so he can speak.

"Thank you. We are incredibly moved that each and every one of you put their faith in us. I can say without a shred of doubt that today is a new beginning for our country. A new dawn. No longer will people be afraid of their government. No longer will parents have to watch as their children are selected to go into Arenas to survive and kill. No longer will the elite rule over the less fortunate. We, as a nation, have to move forward. We must learn to let go of the past, but never forget it. We must learn how to forgive, but make sure the people that deserve it are accordingly brought to justice."

There's another roar of applause as Peeta handed the bullhorn to Haymitch.

"A year ago, I was a hopeless drunk. Not that you all didn't already know that." There's laughter and chuckling all over. "But then something happened. These two people beside me refused to let me keep killing myself slowly with a bottle. They adamantly and relentlessly showed me that I was capable of so much more. I remember the night that Katniss and Peeta told myself and Katniss' sister the names they were planning to give to their children. It was then that they asked me to be their kids' godfather."

I remember that night clear as day. We had just picked out the names Joshua Haymitch and Eve Rue, and after we told Haymitch and Prim, we asked them to be godparents. I've never seen Haymitch so obviously moved with emotion, so grateful for something he deserved in the first place.

"That day was the last time I drank. If Katniss and Peeta were willing to allow me the privilege of being a godfather, the least I could do was quit drinking, something they'd been trying to get me to do for a long time."

He turned momentarily and smiles at us, giving us a comical wink.

"Today, I stand before you as your President. I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to make a difference, to do my best to ensure that every citizen, no matter their class, race, ethnicity, wealth, and gender, is given the unalienable rights every human being is entitled to."

He paused, and took a deep breath.

"With that in mind, I would like to issue a Presidential decree."

Peeta and I knew what was coming, but we were both still overly excited about it.

"From this day forward, the sadistic and cruel Hunger Games are hereby outlawed and banished."

I'm still surprised none of us ended up bleeding from our ears. The crowd probably numbered a couple thousand, but the earth shook that day. It was almost like a shift, a shift from being surrounded by death and destruction to regaining everlasting hope.

Haymitch had come to us a few days prior in private. With Eve in his arms, he smiled down at her and told us while it would look like he was ending the Games for everyone, his biggest motivator were Eve and Josh. With tears in his eyes, he explained that we were his family, that he would do anything to keep us safe and happy.

The amount of work ahead of us is frankly a little intimidating. We have to create a new government. We have to start rebuilding. We have to learn, as a nation, how to heal deep wounds while looking to the future. We need to leave this world better than we found it for posterity.

We also need to deal with Snow. After his broadcast and the ending of the war, he's been sitting in his cell, his fate up in the air.

Sitting in our living room, the Victors and us debated, again, what to do with him.

A proposal was suggested that we hold a countrywide vote and let the people decide. While it is a good idea, we have neither the time nor the infrastructure to do that right now.

In the end, we decided to hold a public trial, even if it was mostly for show. After a day of lawyers presenting arguments, the Tribunal consisting of Haymitch, Finnick, Annie, Johanna, General Quentin, Peeta, and myself reached a quick verdict.

We found him guilty of a veritable myriad of heinous crimes. Murder, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, crimes against humanity, and treason were just a few.

The sentencing proceedings lasted all of five minutes.

He is to be put to death.

That's why, right now, we're in the square, up on the steps of the Justice Building again.

Just like last time, Snow is brought out in shackles, waddling like a pathetic duck because his leg restraints restricted his movements.

We're not executing him in public. There's been more than enough violence. We don't want to traumatize or force anyone to watch him die.

He refused a last meal and declines to speak to the crowd gathered in the square.

We explain to the people what is going to happen, then we turn around and head inside.

Snow is guarded closely as we make our way downstairs. After a few turns, we arrive at the makeshift execution chamber. It's really just an interrogation room with a viewing window that we've emptied out.

"Do you still want to do this?" Peeta asks Haymitch quietly as we watch from behind the glass as two soldiers situate and ready Snow for execution.

"Yes," Haymitch nods. "We need some semblance of closure. All of us. I've wanted to kill this bastard since he threw me into the 50th Games."

"How do you want to do it?" I ask. We decided, after a ton of debate and yelling, to let Haymitch have the final decision in regards to the method of Snow's death.

"This is going to sound absolutely terrible," he rues sadly.

"It's okay," Peeta puts a friendly hand on our old mentor's shoulder. "Whatever it is, he deserves worse."

"I want him to suffer."

"Most everyone does," I agree.

"I'm going to shoot him and let him bleed out," Haymitch reveals, obviously nervous about our reaction. "I want him to sit there and know he's dying. I want him to know that there's nothing that can save him. I want him to die a slow, agonizing death."

"Then that's what you're going to do," Peeta surprise me by saying. I thought for a moment he'd be against such a thing.

"You don't think it's too cruel?" Haymitch asks him.

"That's not for me to decide," Peeta answers. "In any case, he deserves so much worse. He doesn't deserve a quick, painless death. Not one bit."

I just nod my agreement. Haymitch sighs.

"I need a pistol," he realizes. He's the president. He doesn't walk around armed. Not that I know of, at least.

"Use mine," I suggest as I unholster it and hand it to him.

"You sure?"

"Yes," I nod emphatically. "Just do me a favor."

"What?"

"Make sure he knows it's my gun."

"Will do, sweetheart."

I give him a hug and a peck on the cheek. Peeta does the same, minus the kiss.

Haymitch walks out into the hallway, and Quentin and a few other high ranking military officials come in.

We watch as the door to the chamber opens and Haymitch slowly walks into the room. Snow looks up when he hears the door click.

"I must've done something to get the president to come see me," he grumbles.

"In accordance with the lawful sentence you have been given, the time has come for it to be carried out."

Snow just stares blankly ahead.

"Do you have anything you wish to say?"

"No."

"Very well. But before we begin, there's someone here to see you."

Snow looks puzzled.

The door opens again and Snow's eyes go wide when he sees who it is.

"Victoria?" He quietly asks as if he's afraid she'll disappear.

"Are you really my grandfather?" She asks when she walks to the middle of the room, standing next to Haymitch.

"Yes," he nods

Suddenly, she steps forward and slaps him across the face hard. A resounding '_thwap_' echoes.

"You deserve this," she spits. "I may have been raised in the Capitol, but I despise you and everything you stand for."

"Please, Victoria, you have to unders-"

She cuts him off.

"No," she snaps. "I'm ashamed to be your granddaughter. You're a murderer. I hope you rot in hell where you belong."

Before she leaves, she gives him a slap on the other cheek, giving him matching welts.

She doesn't look back when she walks out.

We'd offered to let her observe with us, but she declined. She said she never had a grandfather to begin with, so him dying meant no more to her than anyone else. We respected her wishes, and vowed to keep her secret safe. Despite her pedigree, she's actually a very smart, beautiful, grounded, logical, empathetic individual. When we offered to bring her back to the Capitol, she declined. Instead, she decided, for the time being, to put her education to good use and help out at the hospital.

We told her how we'd used her to get Snow to give up. I assured her that at no point did we ever intend to actually kill her if Snow refused. We don't murder people in cold blood. The worst we'd do is take her into protective custody and spread a rumor she'd been killed.

Snow and Haymitch are alone in the room again.

Haymitch reaches to where he'd put my pistol in the back of his pants. He checks the magazine and chambers a round. The noise when he flips the safety off causes Snow to flinch.

"Just make it quick," he mumbles.

"I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to do that. This is for everyone you ever hurt, Snow. This is for the families who lost loved ones. This is for killing everyone I loved. This is for Katniss and Peeta. This is for their children."

A single gunshot rings out.

Snow looks down at the blood already pouring out of his abdomen. I think he realizes it's a fatal wound, but it'll take a long time for him to die.

Haymitch stands there, the barrel still smoking.

"Just so you know," he gets Snow's attention. "This is Katniss' pistol."

With that, he turns and walks to the door.

Before he exits, he looks over his shoulder back at Snow, who's now moaning in pain.

"You're going to die in this room," he tells him gravely. "When we're finished with you, there will be nothing left but ashes."

We offer to have Haymitch over our house so he can see his godchildren and share a meal. He declines, and instead goes home. When I ask one of his bodyguards for a status update to see how he's doing, he tells me Haymitch has dove right back into his presidential duties. I'm sure we're going to have to help him at some point in the future, but for now, he obviously needs and wants to be alone.

Peeta and I walk home hand in hand, enjoying the spontaneous celebration that sprung up when it was announced that Snow has been executed. People mob us, hugging and thanking us profusely. It takes us over two hours to get home, when it's usually about a fifteen to twenty minute walk.

Finally we're back in our home. Walking upstairs, we go directly to the nursery.

"Thanks for watching them little duck," I whisper to Prim as she gently shuts the door to talk to us in the hallway.

"I should be the one thanking you," she smiles. "You know I love spending time with my niece and nephew."

"Well thanks anyways," Peeta grins and gives her a brotherly kiss on the cheek.

"I'm going to head home," Prim tells us. We're still deciding whether or not to fix, demolish, or leave their house alone after what happened. For now, Prim and my mom are in another house down the block.

She walks down the stairs and I hear the front door shut. For the first time in what seems like an eternity, it's just Peeta, me, and the twins alone in the house. It instantly reminds me of what it was like here before the war.

Without voicing a decision, we both look towards the nursery door. Peeta opens it and puts a hand on the small of my back, guiding me in. It's one of his little ways of protecting me. Truthfully, I just like the feeling.

We stand over their cribs for what must be hours, just staring at our magnificent children in silence.

While, yes, our actions have benefited the nation as a whole, we both know our main motivation was these two innocent babies. They now will grow up never having to experience something like a Reaping. One day, we'll have to explain all of this to them, tell them what we did and why we did it. But that's way in the future. For now, we're just going to be a family, building a life of happiness together.

"We did it," Peeta whispers.

"We did it," I repeat.

"Now what?"

"Now we live our lives," I answer. "Specifically, we need to find an architect."

"For what?"

I roll my eyes.

"Don't tell me you forgot. It was _your _idea after all."

When he still looks confused, I give him a break.

"Our house by the lake. If you still want to build it, that is."

"Of course," he quickly replies. "Sorry, we've just been so busy lately. Well, we've been busy for a long time."

"It's okay," I smile. "I know. I was right there with you, remember?"

"I could never forget, Katniss."

"Good answer."

We fall silent again, and I know this is the perfect time to tell him.

"Peeta, are you ready for our next adventure?"

"Our next adventure?" He asks. "What adventure?"

Our gazes meet and for the millionth time I wonder how I ever got so lucky.

He's waiting for me to answer, but I pause. I'm enjoying this moment way too much.

Finally, taking one last look at our children, I turn to him, cradle his face with my hands and kiss him.

Touching our foreheads together, staring into his eyes, I whisper.

"I'm pregnant."

_**A/N: Well, ladies and gentlemen, there it is. The last chapter of 'The Truth Revealed'. Thanks for sticking with me this long, and I'm glad people get enjoyment out of my silly stories. I can't tell you how much all your kind words and reviews help me each time I sit down to write. **_

_**A few people have expressed concerns, realizing that this story was in its final chapters. **_

_**It was a long time ago, but I decided to make this fic, which started with 'It Was A Lie', into a trilogy. **_

_**The next story will be about rebuilding their lives after the war. I haven't begun yet to formulate what I want to do with it, but it shouldn't be too long until I post the first chapter. **_

_**I am, however, struggling with what to name the new story. Any suggestions will be taken into consideration and greatly appreciated. **_

_**Again, thank you. **_


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